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10 Facts About Fasting
Aaron Erhardt
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Fasting means to abstain from food
(1)
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Fasting was common among the Jews
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Moses, David, Elijah and others
fasted
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One fast commanded in old law (Lev.
16:29) (2)
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Jesus fasted on occasion (Matt.
4:2)
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Christians fasted on occasion (Acts
13:3)
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Pharisees fasted twice a week (Lk.
18:12) (3)
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Fasting is not for self-promotion
(Matt. 6:16-18)
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Fasting is not commanded in new
testament (4)
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Proper fasting is a legitimate form
of devotion
Footnotes:
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Fasting is an act of
self-denial wherein one abstains from the physical (food) to concentrate on
the spiritual. The morning meal is called “breakfast” because one “breaks
his fast” from the night just ended.
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“Afflict yourselves”
in this text included fasting (Acts 27:9). The ESV footnote says, “Or shall
fast.”
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Pharisees usually
fasted on the second and fifth days of the week. The Didache says, “But as
for your fasts, let them not be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the
second and fifth days of the week, but do ye fast on the fourth and sixth
days” (8:1).
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Although Jesus
assumed His disciples would fast, He never bound fasting. There is no
mention of time, place, method, etc.
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