"In Matthew 12 the Lord rebukes the Pharisees by saying, ' Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungered, and they that were with him; how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests ?' This is noted in three of the Gospels, and so of great importance.

According to the established order of things David in this act might have been wrong, but morally he was right, and the Lord justifies him fully. We are naturally legal; fond of ecclesiastical law; great sticklers for it. It is wonderful how we can magnify an ordinance made for our blessing into such proportions as to make it a hindrance to that blessing, and to prevent God's government having its way. But He loves the moral condition of soul which acts for Him in the moment of crisis, and which we may easily mistake. We always incline to tithe the anise and cummin and neglect the weightier matters of mercy and judgment. ' I will have mercy and not sacrifice is a great word.' "