(2) Practices in the Teaching of Jesus: fasting
Practices Endorsed
by
Jesus
or
Taught
by
Jesus
In an attempt to decide which practices
are applicable today in detail and which are applicable in principle but not
literally, we now examine some of those endorsed or taught by Jesus.
Fasting
“And when you
fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they dis-figure their faces
that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their
reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your
fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your
Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
(Matthew
6:16-18)
Jesus was setting down for his Jewish
audience the principles of the New Covenant. Fasting was done twice a week by
the Pharisees (Luke 18:12) and by John’s disciples. The intention behind
fasting was humbling oneself before God, and the practice is also associated
with prayer in the New Testament. However, the Pharisees seemed to regard
fasting as a meritorious act in itself and one by which they could gain public
praise for their piety. In this situation, Jesus assumed his disciples would
fast, and taught them how to fast with the right attitude. But when asked specifically about fasting, he
seems to have considered it inappropriate under the New Covenant:
Now John’s
disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why
do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples
do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the
bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they
cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on
an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old,
and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he
does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the
skins; but new wine is for fresh skins.” (Mark 2:18-22)
The presence of the Messiah was a joyful occasion and fasting was
inappropriate and would be under the New Covenant – which was the point of
Jesus’ comment “new wine is for fresh skins.” Nevertheless Jesus did fast
himself (Matthew 4:2), so did the early ecclesias (Acts 13:2-3, 14:23 – perhaps
in response to “and then they will fast in that day”) and the practice
continued as the Didache
indicates.
Do not keep the
same fast-days as the hypocrites. Mondays and Thursdays are their days for
fasting, so yours should be Wednesdays and Fridays.
(Didache, 8)
In one respect, at least, this command has missed the point of
Jesus’ teaching, yet it endorses the practice of fasting.
Good
reason can be given why fasting is desirable. In our consumer- orientated
society most of us can and do have what we want, when we want. Deliberate
fasting can help to break this chain of materialism, can prevent us being over
self-indulgent or too reliant on the things of this world. It can also help us
to sympathise in a small way with our fellow human-beings who have insufficient
to eat. Since many people over-eat, fasting can also be beneficial to our
physical health. On the other hand, people vary. Some people can go a day
without food and feel fine; others suffer considerable moods swings and loss of
energy. And while there is a time to fast, there is also time to be grateful to
God for the abundance He supplies.
Perhaps this is why Jesus and his disciples did not fast, prompting the
criticism and the questions: “Why
do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples
do not fast?” Paul spoke to the people
of Lystra about the bountifulness of the living God who “did good and gave you
from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and
gladness” (Acts 14:17).
Sponsored
fasts to raise money for charity have become popular in recent years. Provided
they are done in the right spirit they can fulfil all of the above benefits
while fitting in well with the teaching of Isaiah:
Is not this the
fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds
of wickedness,
to undo the thongs
of the yoke,
to let the
oppressed go free,
and to break every
yoke?
Is it not to share
your bread with the hungry,
and bring the
homeless poor into your house;
when you see the
naked, to cover him,
and not to hide
yourself from your own flesh? (Isaiah
58:6-7)
Fasting is
a permissible practice where it is felt to be beneficial, provided this is done
in the right spirit. Although Jesus did not expect his followers to regard this
as an essential practice, it does seem quite possible that he presumed they
would fast.
