The verb eporeuthē (rendered by the ESV as went
) implies that he was on his way to a particular destination. Even on the Sabbath Jesus did not give himself rest, but moved to a new location. His preaching in the synagogues on the Sabbath (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 11:1) implies that he also wanted to proclaim the gospel elsewhere on that specific day. Deliberately not passing through the towns, where Sabbath rest was strictly observed, he instead took a route through the fields (Mark 2:23–28) to reach his destination, while still respecting the Sabbath laws.
The verb eporeuthē (translated by the ESV here in Matthew 12:1 as went
) indicates that he was on his way to a particular destination. The text does not describe a casual stroll near a town, but rather a journey from one place to another further away. Even on the Sabbath Jesus did not grant himself rest, but traveled to a new location. Since we know that he preached in the synagogues on the Sabbath (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 11:1), this implies that he also desired to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom elsewhere on that specific day. He chose not to pass through the towns, where Sabbath rest was strictly observed, but instead took a route through the fields (Mark 2:23–28). As such, his passage through the grainfields mentioned in Matthew 12:1 is not incidental but characterizes the journey itself, as Jesus deliberately made a wide circuit around the towns in order to reach his destination—all while still respecting the Sabbath laws.1
1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.