και 2532 CONJ εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S παραπορευεσθαι 3899 5738 V-PNN αυτον 846 P-ASM εν 1722 PREP τοις 3588 T-DPN σαββασιν 4521 N-DPN δια 1223 PREP των 3588 T-GPM σποριμων 4702 A-GPM και 2532 CONJ ηρξαντο 756 5662 V-ADI-3P οι 3588 T-NPM μαθηται 3101 N-NPM αυτου 846 P-GSM οδον 3598 N-ASF ποιειν 4160 5721 V-PAN τιλλοντες 5089 5723 V-PAP-NPM τους 3588 T-APM σταχυας 4719 N-APM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
23. He went (auton paraporeuesqai). Lit., went along beside, along the stretches of standing grain. Matthew and Luke use dia, through, as Mark does, but not para.Began, as they went, to pluck (hrxanto odon poiein tillontev). Lit., began to make a way plucking the ears. This does not mean that the disciples broke a way for themselves through the standing corn by plucking the ears, for in that event they would have been compelled to break down the stalks. They could not have made a way by plucking the heads of the grain. Mark, who uses Latin forms, probably adopted here the phrase iter facere, to make a way, which is simply to go. The same idiom occurs in the Septuagint, Judg. xvii. 8; poihsai oJdon, as he journeyed. The offense given the Pharisees was the preparation of food on the Sabbath. Matthew says to eat, stating the motive, and Luke, rubbing with their hands, describing the act. See on Matt. xii. 2. The Rev. rightly retains the rendering of the A.V.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:23 {Through the cornfields} (dia twn sporimwn). See on Mt 12:1. So Matt. and #Lu 6:1. But Mark uses paraporeuesqai, to go along beside, unless diaporeuesqai (BCD) is accepted. Perhaps now on the edge, now within the grain. Mark uses also hodon poiein, to {make a way} like the Latin _iter facere_, as if through the standing grain, {plucking the ears} (tillontes tous stacuas). Work of preparing food the rabbis called it. The margin of the Revised Version has it correctly: They began to make their way plucking the ears of corn (grain, wheat or barley, we should say). See on Mt 12:1-8 for discussion of this passage, parallel also in #Lu 6:15.
