Question: Did Yahshua (Jesus) not break the Sabbath by healing or allowing plucking of corn?

Healing is not working Luk 13:16. As Jesus asked, is it unlawful to do good on Sabbath? And His accusers had to keep quiet Mark 3:4.  Jesus also said the priests who perform their religious duties on the Sabbath or one circumcising a baby because the 8th day of its birth happened to fall on the Sabbath, is not breaking the law under their own understanding so how can healing be?   John 7:22-3 “Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man.

If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?” 

As for the other accusation of the Pharisees and used as an excuse today, the plucking of corn on the Sabbath by the disciples is neither work. Eating is not violation of the Sabbath; but working is (Deut 23:24-5).  Were the disciples plucking the corn for storage or resale? No. Did they have to work to prepare the food like others who may cook, butter bread or add an ingredient of any sort? No.  It was simply pick and eat, just like picking an apple from a tree and biting it. From its natural place to your mouth, no preparation or work. Less than it would take someone else to go to a storage place of food, cupboard, jar, bread bin etc, retrieve and eat it. In Exodus 16:4-5 God rained a daily portion of manna from heaven, save for the sixth day when two days supply fell “that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or not”. Did they not have to store and retrieve the manna for use the next Sabbath day? More effort than the apostles picking and eating. This seventh day observance being a test of obedience before being given to Moses on mount Sinai in Exodus 24:12. Remember the so titled religious leaders of the time were seeking any reason to discredit Jesus. They were jealous of loosing their power and standing. John 11:48 “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation”.
The best and only two things they could come up with then and used, as justification today to abstain from the Sabbath is disciples plucking the corn and Jesus healing on the Sabbath. Neither of which if looked into constitute work. Jesus was simply clarifying what the Sabbath is.

A lawyer can know the law, but not how to practice it. Hence they loose cases. A lawyer could practice law; but only have blinkered view, i.e. prosecutor or defender; hence the need for a judge to clarify the position.  Lawyers can also be corrupt as many are thought to be today. Hence when Jesus accused the Pharisees of knowing the law but not understanding it; this is not a precedent for us to disobey the numerous times Jesus said we are to keep the commandments and the law. Whose words should carry more importance Jesus’ or Paul’s? Well in Luke 10:25 a lawyer asks Jesus “what shall I do to inherit eternal life”? Jesus replies "What is written in the law, how readest thou” is saying the answer is written in the law; but how do you understand it.  Lawyer replies “Love God, with all heart, soul, strength and mind and neighbour as self”.  Jesus, “you read and understand it right. Do this and live”. A similar example is in Matt 19:17 “Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” reply, “keep the commandments”. Clearly Jesus is saying the way to eternal life is written in the law which we are to keep. If this was not so He would have said. Thus when reading Paul’s words either Paul is wrong or we are misunderstanding Paul. It is ironic the leaders were accusing Jesus of breaking the law for healing within the temple and having a healed man carry his bed on the Sabbath yet they were allowing on a weekly basis breaking of the same law, within the temple by allowing trading and carrying of vessels on the Sabbath day (Mark 11:15-16).

Is saving a life on the Sabbath really work? Suppose you are a plumber on holiday and there is an incident on the plane and the question is asked “is there a doctor on board? There is no doctor; but you having watched a programme or TV a few nights before or maybe having some first aid training at work decide to come forward and help the person. Are you classed as working? I think not. Now suppose you did a good job; but there is a doctor on board then steps up and says good job; but you also need to do a, b, c. When asked why he did not come forward before he says “I’m on holiday and did not really want to get involved, I was hoping there would be another doctor to help out”. Would he be working for helping out? I think not.  Lastly, if one understood God and His laws, they would read He would rather have mercy than sacrifice, they would see he made provision within the law for such acts of mercy on the Sabbaths.