Questions about Fasting
The New Testament has relatively little
to say about fasting. The OT has much to
say about fasting. The Law of Moses
required certain fast days. We do not
take our authority for religious practices from the OT but from the NT. I have classified some of the scriptures from
the NT as to how they relate to fasting. (Larry Buck)
References to OT fasts
Act 27:9 “Since much time had passed, and the voyage
was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them.”
– The passage refers simply to the fact that it was
dangerous to sail because of the season of the year, i.e., the same season
during the great Fast or day of Atonement under the Old Law.
Mat 6:16-18 "And when you
fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces
that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have
received their reward. (17) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your
face, (18) that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who
is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
– Jesus is not
commanding us to fast, but the teaching is about our attitude toward
obedience: do not do your good works to be seen of men, but to be done for the
Lord.
- The disciples of John wondered why
the disciples of Jesus did not fast “often”.
Jesus kept the Old Law better than anyone else, so anything that He
should have been doing, including fasting, He would have been perfectly
faithful in that observance, and He taught His disciples to do likewise. But the point of His response is not focused
on fasting and, again, there is no command regarding fasting. Instead, he uses the opportunity to teach about
His coming departure, and how the new cannot be brought in until the old has
been done away with.
Casting out demons
Mar 9:29 So He said to them, "This kind can
come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
- The disciples of Jesus
asked Him why they could not cast out a certain demon. In the parallel account of Matthew 17, Jesus
tells them because of their “unbelief” they could not cast out the demon, then
adds that it could not be performed “but by prayer and fasting.” The
teaching was focused on their degree of belief. Many individuals who came to Jesus received
miraculous power because of their belief, but this was during a time which the
authority of the Word was being confirmed by miraculous works. The teaching was not to fast in order to cast
out demons or to be able to do any miraculous works: the teaching was to build
one’s faith.
Testing of Jesus
Mat 4:1-2 “Then Jesus was led up
by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (2) And after
fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
-
There is no law that says one had to fast exactly forty days, but Moses fasted
the same length of times on Mount Sinai, as did Elijah. Forty is a significant number used
throughout
scripture (number of days it rained during the flood, the number of days the
Israelite spies were in the land of Canaan, the number of years the Israelites
wandered in the wilderness, etc.), but it is not revealed why Jesus fasted for
forty days. There are ideas about
self-denial, clearing the mind, focusing on spiritual matters, but the fact of
the matter is that there is no specific teaching or command here for NT
Christians regarding the practice of fasting.
Occasion of Important
Decision
Act 13:1-3 Now there were
in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas,
and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had
been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (2) As they
ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas
and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (3) And when
they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
(see also Acts 14:23)
- In both Acts 13 and Acts 14, we see
important decisions being made collectively that involved prayer and fasting,
and clearly, in one case, the direct involvement of the Holy Spirit in
revelation. We have clear commands and
examples regarding prayer, but fasting and laying on of hands are not
specifically enjoined upon us.
“That you may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer”
1Co 7:5 Defraud ye not
one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you
not for your incontinency.
-
A NT Christian is perfectly in their personal right to practice fasting (that
is, abstinence from food or anything worldly) with prayer (the practice of fasting is almost always with prayer),
and the benefits are evident, but no
scripture supports a command to do so, or practice of fasting for physical or
ceremonial purification.
