Matthew 6.16-18

Could any “act of righteousness” be more counter cultural?  All you have to do is drive down Rangeline and you’ll see hundreds of restaurants, none of which we necessarily need but all of which we are tricked into thinking we couldn’t live without.  Who would want to go without food?  Who would really deny themselves something so pleasurable?  It seems completely illogical in our culture today.

While Jesus does not ever command us to fast, he does express on multiple occasions the expectation that his disciples will fast, once in this passage today and in another conversation (Luke 5:33-35).   So maybe before we read the passage, we should get a better idea of the situation Jesus was addressing.

In the Old Testament, God commanded the Jews to deny themselves (an euphemism for fasting) on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29).  Heroes of the Old Testament fasted: Moses, David, Elijah, and Daniel.  The Jews started practicing fasting on occasion and eventually fasting became something that pious people did twice a week.  By the time of Jesus, the Pharisees (very pious people) fasted on Monday and Thursday.  This is not a bad thing in and of itself, but how and why they did it became an issue.

So let’s read Jesus’ words with this background in mind:

Matthew 6:16-18

    ¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

My wife often jokes that she doesn’t shower on Saturdays.  In other words, she doesn’t take the time to get dressed up like she would on a normal work day.  Instead she puts on her most comfortable clothes and relaxes all day.  If I had no idea what day of the week it was, but you said she had on her favorite sweat pants, her hair was up, and she looks like she needs a shower, I would know right away that the day was Saturday.  

Similarly, the Pharisees treated fasts like my wife does Saturdays.  They didn’t clean themselves up and sometimes they even put ashes on their faces, so that everyone knew that it was a fast day.  No one could miss that they were doing their act of righteousness.  That recognition they got from men, Jesus says, is their reward.

Rather than disfiguring yourself when fasting, Jesus calls us to look normal or even better than normal so that no one can tell.  Just like with praying and almsgiving, Jesus wants us to do our acts of righteousness for an audience of ONE, not the recognition of men.

How does this impact us today?  First, Jesus expects us to fast.  It may seem counter cultural, but there is no other way to fully, holistically express yourself to God.  Fasting encompass the body and spirit in a very unique way.  Second, Jesus expects us to fast for an audience of one, not for show.  So if you start fasting, keep it between you and God (and maybe a few close Christian friends for accountability).  Your reward is not the recognition of men, but fellowship with your Father in heaven.  What more could you ask for?

Jeremy Hyde