Fasting
Matthew 6:16-18 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17] But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18] so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:9-15 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17] But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18] Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6:9-15 16 “And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they put on a sad and dismal face [like actors, discoloring their faces with ashes or dirt] so that their fasting may be seen by men. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, they [already] have their reward in full. 17] But when you fast, put oil on your head [as you normally would to groom your hair] and wash your face 18] so that your fasting will not be noticed by people, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.
Jesus had spoken earlier about charity, prayer and now He moves on to the issue of fasting. These three things have a salient feature of God’s inability to them to or for Himself. Hence, his dependence on mankind to render them as services or sacrifices to Him. I doubt if God can pray to Himself for Himself, neither needs fasting for anything nor can He give alms to Himself. In what follows, we shall inspect the focus of a fast; the faithfulness fasting requires.
Focus of fasting
Someday, the disciples of John the Baptist, arguably incited by the Pharisees, came to Jesus. They asked Him with a somewhat Pharisaic tone of accusation why the disciples of Jesus never fast like them and their fellow Pharisees. The reply of Jesus was a lesson, a rebuke and unmistakenly a perfect final answer. Jesus told them in a parable that the bridegroom was around so long that it was a sound of joy to all. Why? Because all expenses for merriment and enjoyment of a wedding ceremony was borne by Him. Thus, Jesus claimed responsibility for all assaults, attacks and insurrection of the enemy against His disciples as their bridegroom.
For this reason, they need not fast. Jesus fasted for them, prayed for them, cared for them and provided all their material needs accordingly. Jesus then went a step further to say that they will fast when the bridegroom is taken away, then they will fast. Why should they fast? All that they had freely before now needed to be gotten for themselves by offering prayers to God for themselves. Onwards, their preservation, provisions, progress will be sorely contested. They will need to engage the authority that enhanced their Master to command all He had and made Him utterly victorious. Thence, they will fast.
Jesus, however, did not fail, as He often did, to seize the opportunity to establish another principle by which fasting after His departure shall be run. He pitches proverbially that the New Testament’s fasting model shall neither entertain patching nor mending but freshness. It shall be entirely different in purpose and means that the one conducted and observed by the Pharisees and most Israelites whom they oversaw.
Therefore, given that the fasting pattern of the Pharisees, who were essentially the spiritual powers-that-be of Jesus' days, was not acceptable to God. And Jesus distinctly purports the impossibility of mixing them in motives as art, as well as the exit of the bridegroom with His attendant provision, will compel the disciples to fast. It becomes readily apparent that the focus of fasting is to cultivate nearness to God. To bring the bridegroom spiritually near so that His provisions and company can continue as if He were physically present with the bride.
Isn’t it also beautiful that Christ explains fasting- an act of self-denial with a bride-Bridegroom relationship and not a slave-Master relationship? The aim of fasting is more relational than ovational and must be conducted with utmost respect and secrecy. For publicity is the opposite of privacy.
Furthermore, if Jesus said,
Features of a faithful fast
They appear ironically appealing to men by their sombre facial outlooks. They seek recognition. This then brings a question to our consideration: to whom was this fast directed? Jesus forbids a theatrical show of fasting prowess because what is God’s must be exclusively His and what is man should be handed down to man without reserve. It is justice and equity that the rent for using the credibility of Caesar’s identity to trade is paid to him in tax. And God should not be robbed of His either. Is it for God? Then the recognition and reward, and therefore, should be from Him, while the accolade goes to Him.
Therefore, the disfigured face that looks for the innocent or, better put, gullible hearts of men to penetrate in search of honour from them for an activity directed to God is an utter aberration. What is the rationale behind this? Is God unable to bestow honour on men for their acts of devotion? Is God so idle that He cannot spot on the spot those whose heart and seeking Him? Oh, what height of hypocrisy that we afflict our faces and not their hearts! How poor is it that we count our chicken before they hatch - that we substitute men’s ephemeral praises for the applause and approval of an ever-living God!
The term fasting was seldom mentioned in the old testament. Still, the occasions in which they were, turned out to be markedly instructive. The most unmistakable of all is found in the book of Isaiah 58:6-11. There, the following are activities to engage in when fasting.
- Loose the bond of wickedness,
- Undo heavy burdens,
- Let the oppressed go free,
- To break every yoke.
Shall anyone be engaged in losing the bonds of wickedness on the other? And have time for a flashy show of self-deprivation? Shall one be undoing heavy burdens or have the interests of others at heart or concerned with a sufferer’s obligations and be seeking the approval of such person? Would you care to appear fasting before the people who you care about their oppression? No. All that shall occupy one’s mind will be what good will the fasting serve to alleviate all afflictions. To lessen all pangs, like Dorcas, to carter for all the spiritually of materially needy around. “How fasting will enhance the matter at hand shall be the pre-occupational thought of such mourner.
It looks as if it is a burden and concern for the needy and the empowerment to minister to such needs that should drive one to undertake a fast. Jesus had already gotten the approval of God for the previous 30 years lived at home. If He ascended to heaven at that instance, He would be admitted. But Jesus needed to help mankind. He needed to cultivate a way through the subjection of His will so that weak and sin-sick, helpless children of Adam may find their way up to their Maker. Therefore, the need for another 3 and a half years of ministry. And perhaps for empowerment and for the abiding presence of the Father in His ministerial assignments as He was with Him at home, He took to fasting, which no man knew about. So that it may not be as the Pharisees, He observed this fast in the wilderness. Suppose Jesus was bent on receiving the praises of men. Parading Himself before all after the first seven days of His fast would earn Him such reputation for fasting more than any Pharisee ever had!
The problem with the Pharisees was that they made praise-singers of the very people whose burden they ought to have shouldered. They only appeared to be fasting but lacking any power. Hence, neither could they help the oppressed by demons, nor could they heal a blind man. They actually appear before men to be fasting. They have an appearance of a pre-conceived ability. But really, the fast before God is nothing.
Jesus, who had fasted more than them all because He was busy opening the eye of the blind, proclaimed the Goodnews to the poor and set the oppressed free. Yet, had no time airing His sacrifices before men. Thus the fast and secret services of Jesus was celebrated by God in public by bestowing on Him tremendous power. He fasted for 40 days and proceeded out of the wilderness with both staying and combative power to help the poor and needy. Hence, He asserted: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed1.”
Shall your fast henceforth be to be empowered to carter for the need of weak others? Never do it for public applause. Suppose our group fasts are to earn a niche for faithfulness among the children of God; going by the text under consideration, one can as well dissolve such fast. This is because the reward would not surpass the sought and eventually gotten high esteem before men for a spiritual exercise supposedly dedicated to God.
Essentially, with every opportunity, Jesus defended the cause of His disciples and His ministry all the time He was on earth. In defence of His disciples, He called the Pharisees white-washed stones (WWS) and blind guards of the blind (BGB). Before long, in the book of acts, the disciples now had to defend the course of other disciples and their God-given ministries. For this sake, after they had fasted, God approved the opening of the Goodnews to the Gentiles by separating Paul and Barnabas. Away went the bridegroom, a standing position must His friend take to occupy till He comes.
Extra
The bridegroom did lose the burden of wickedness. He undid heavy loads. On one occasion, He flung a blank cheque at people, saying, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden2.” He shared His bread - of life and of the belly - with his disciples and disbelievers3. But, by and by, the bridegroom will depart with His abilities but not His power4, and situations will demand that the disciples portray themselves as Jesus did. They will need to arise to occasions as they so demanded. Therefore, they will seek the empowerment of the departed Christ since, more so, He promised to be with them5.
One will no more wonder why Jesus upbraided His disciples for their inability to cast out a demon6. It was as if He was telling the disciples, “you think I will be with you forever?” in saying, “How Long shall I be with you?” And when they asked Him why they failed in their lack of attempt nor confidence to raise the palsy-stricken boy7, Jesus told them it was due to lack of prayer and fasting8.
And when should they fast? When the bridegroom is taken away9. Was the bridegroom taken away in this circumstance? Yes, to a mountain top, though for a little while. Whenever I see a need in others to minister to others as Christ would if He were here, it calls for fasting. And the fasting must not be for a show! We should fast to Him in private, and He will reward us with excellent strengths for ministry in public. However, seeking men’s honour, lacking the needed credibility, will only land us in dishonour with God. If we essentially honour Christ privately, He will beautify us publicly. Let us endeavour to be faithful in small things as fasting. We shall have a ministry in the public glare to the Glory of God the Father.
