The Christian Fasting Fasting in the Bible Fasting
The Christian & Fasting
Fasting in the Bible • Fasting in the Bible may be the normal way to abstain from eating over night; “break your fast” (Jn. 21: 12, 15) • Fasting in the Bible may be involuntary, resulting from simply having no food (Mt. 15: 32 ff; Mk. 8: 1 ff; 6: 33 ff; cf. see Paul’s life when he was hungry, 1 Cor. 4: 11; 2 Cor. 6: 5; 11: 27; Phil. 4: 12) • Fasting in the Bible is often the voluntary practice of abstaining from normal eating or drinking for a period of time for spiritual or devotional reasons
Fasting in the OT • Moses fasted before receiving the 10 commandments (Ex. 34: 27 -28; Deut. 9: 9 -29) • The only command to fast is found related to the annual Day of Atonement; Israel was told to “afflict your souls” (Lev. 16: 29 -31; 23: 27 -32; Num. 29: 7; see “the Fast” in Acts 27: 9 which occurred Sept. – Oct. ; and possibly Jer. 36: 6, 9) • In the days of her apostasy, Israel was rebuked for hypocritical fasting (Isa. 58: 3 -6; Jer. 14: 12)
Fasting in the OT • The practice of fasting beyond the Day of Atonement – Facing hardship (1 Sam. 20: 34; 28: 20; 30: 12; 2 Sam. 12: 16 -23; Psa. 35: 13; 69: 10; 109: 24; Dan. 6: 18) – Experiencing remorse or mourning for sin (Judg. 20: 26; 1 Sam. 7: 6; 1 K. 21: 27; Ezra 10: 6; Neh. 9: 12; Dan. 9: 3, 15 -19; Joel 2: 12; Zech. 8: 19) – Averting a national calamity (2 Chron. 20: 3; Esther 4: 3, 16; 9: 31; Jer. 36: 9; Joel 1: 14; 2: 12, 15; Jonah 3: 5)
Fasting in the OT • The practice of fasting beyond the Day of Atonement – Imploring God in prayer (Ezra 8: 15, 21, 23; 1: 4) Neh. – Dealing with death or illness (1 Sam. 31: 13 Chron. 10: 12]; 2 Sam. 1: 12; 12: 16, 21 -23) [1 – Demonstrating devotion to another (1 K. 21: 4, 9, 12, 27)
Fasting in the NT • The practice of fasting continued in NT times among the faithful Jews (under the Law of Moses) – Ardently imploring God in prayer (Lk. 2: 37) – Enduring temptation (Mt. 4: 2; Lk. 4: 2) – Experiencing remorse (Acts 9: 9)
Fasting in the NT • Hypocritical fasting by unfaithful Jews (under the Law of Moses) was exposed by Jesus (Mt. 6: 16 -18) • Some Jews (under the Law of Moses) had developed a twice-weekly habit of fasting, adding to the one prescribed fast in Lev. 16 (Lk. 18: 12; see Zech. 7: 1 -7 and 8: 19 which mention three fasts in addition to the one prescribed in the Law; see also Esther 9: 31) • Jesus taught that fasting (under the Law of Moses) was appropriate for certain times, but not for others (Mt. 9: 14 -15; Mk. 2: 18 -20; Lk. 5: 33 -35)
Fasting in the NT • Early Christians practiced fasting… – Selecting preachers (Acts 13: 1 -3) – Appointing elders (Acts 14: 23) • Four ref. to fasting in the KJV (Mt. 17: 21; Mk. 9: 29; Acts 10: 30; 1 Cor. 7: 5) are not found in some Gr. mss. , and, therefore, are not found in more recent translations • In Acts 27: 33 the Gr. word is asitos, without eating
The Christian & Fasting • Fasting was commanded one time under the Law of Moses (Lev. 16); Jesus’ practice of fasting and teaching on it was under the Law of Moses • OT individuals fasted for different amounts of time (day, days, etc. ) and with different amounts of food (partial, total abstinence, etc. ) • Fasting is never given as a NT command to Christians • Some Christians practiced fasting (Jewish Christians would be familiar with the OT practice of fasting)
The Christian & Fasting • Therefore, fasting may not be imposed as a binding rule on Christians today, but fasting may be a liberty to be practiced individually should one so choose • Like Jesus (Mt. 4: 2), a Christian is at liberty to fast while dealing with a temptation, a burden, grief, penitence, remorse, etc. • Like the NT church (Acts 13: 2 -3; 14: 23), a Christian is at liberty to fast when preparing to make important decisions and when starting important new works
The Christian & Fasting • Fasting for the NT Christian is not a law, but a liberty; not a commandment, but a concession • If a Christian chooses to fast for spiritual purposes, let it be (1) directed to God, not man (Mt. 6: 16 -18, fasting is not a parade of piety); (2) appropriate to the occasion (Mt. 9: 14 -15); and, (3) of actual benefit to the inward soul (Col. 2: 18, 20 -23)
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