Have Ye Not Read the 7777th Verse of the Bible?

Summary

The first mention of the “sabbath” (the seventh day of the week) in the New Testament occurs in Matthew 12, where the Pharisees accuse Jesus’ disciples of breaking it.

In response, Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, immediately points them to a passage that would later become the 7777th verse of the Bible in the completed canon of scripture — 1 Samuel 21:4. This numerical placement is extraordinary, as the number 7 is not only associated with divine perfection and completion throughout the Bible, it is the number of the sabbath day. The sabbath is the the 7th day of the week, a day when all Israel was commanded to rest.

Jesus also emphasizes the authority of the written word by beginning his response with, “Have ye not read…” (Matthew 12:3), directing them back to scripture rather than relying on human traditions or any legalistic interpretation they may have carried.

“But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?” (Matthew 12:3-4)

This is not just Matthew’s wording. Both Mark and Luke record it the same way:

“And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?” (Mark 2:25)

“And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;” (Luke 6:3)

Referencing 1 Samuel 21, Jesus draws a direct parallel between his disciples and David’s men. Just as David, God’s anointed, was not condemned for eating the shewbread in a time of need, neither can his disciples be condemned for plucking corn on the sabbath. A mighty lesson is taught here: man’s needs outweighs ritualistic religion, and God’s law was never meant to be enforced without judgment, mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23).

And before verse divisions ever existed, the Lord of the Sabbath pointed them to what would become the 7777th verse of scripture:

“And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.” (1 Samuel 21:4)

In one stroke, Jesus reproves the Pharisees with the heart of God’s law: compassion, mercy, and resting in him, while also aligning his words with the 7777th verse of the Bible on the sabbath, revealing his absolute knowledge and inspiration of scripture.