Tao Bible - Matthew 12:1-8

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were a hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was a hungered, 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? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
~ King James version ~

The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
~ from Verse 3 of the Tao Te Ching ~

People need to eat! It's difficult to concentrate on much of anything else when we truly are malnourished or starving. It is that much harder to be just and virtuous.

The wise understand that, before any of us can become focused on philosophical or spiritual needs, we must satisfy our most basic physical needs first!

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