Some were going hungry if only to avoid a tongue-lashing, beating, or even shaming from the Pharisees. They would be called poor, vile souls away from Yawheh's protection, only better off than a beggar or a widow, asking for numerous bribes to secure God's forgiveness. But they had nothing —they could only barely pick the grain under their feet.
On this particular Sabbath, Jesus and His disciples were walking across the grainfields, talking and singing and listening along the way to the synagogue. As people walked with hurry, they knew they were late to worship and wanted to face the lesser wrath of the Pharisees. And one of them looked at the group with hateful eyes, motioning them to come instead of him to them. They were breaking every prohibition on the Sabbath! They picked up grains from the floor without washing their hands, rubbed them on their clothes, and ate the kernels without cooking them! The Prophet smiled at the Pharisees as He ate the kernels with His friends, all of them enjoying the bounty around them. From these same grainfields came David who ate the consecrated bread. Behind them, widows and beggars and strangers came eating the kernels of grain, following them to temple. The Pharisees were livid from this horror!
Who would take the power of the Sabbath away from them!?