Is Fasting Law? 

“And He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. And nothing will be impossible for you. [But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.]” Matthew 17:20-21

The majority of the copies of the original Greek texts do not contain the verse, “But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 even though some minor texts do. And in the case of Mark the majority of the original Greek texts DO contain, “This kind does not come out except by prayer.” Mark 9:29 while some minor texts also include the word “fasting.” This translation has been a point of contention in regards to the value fasting should hold in the practice of the Christian faith. 

This being said, we will begin by asserting the obvious common point that whether it be majority texts or minor texts ALL contain this one statement, “This kind does not come out except by prayer.” Mark 9:29 This point holds further significance when we give careful consideration to the Lord’s own statement as to why His disciples ought NOT to fast saying, “Can the sons of the bridechamber MOURN as long as the bridegroom is with them?” Matthew 9:15 Now it would not make sense for the Lord to turn around and say to His disciples, “you lack power because you did not fast.” However we know the Lord did exhort them to pray saying, “Watch and pray, that you do not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh weak.” Matthew 26:41 The value the Lord emphasised is in the prayer NOT in the fasting. However we in times past have practised fasting and continue to do so by simply looking at the surface without examining its true meaning. 

So the purpose of this study is for us to determine the value of fasting by examining how and why it was practised. And if fasting should hold the same significance for us as it did for the old testament saints. And in order to determine this, we need to ask, in what conditions the old testament saints fasted? What were they intending to accomplish by it? What aspects were they addressing in themselves? Finally we will examine what actually differentiates us from them and if indeed we actually deal with the same issues as they did? Therefore by determining the right definition for fasting we can determine its relevance for us. 

In Leviticus fasting is described as an act of afflicting/humbling one soul and the children of Israel were commanded to practise it in order to atone for their sins. “​​In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.” Leviticus 16:29-30 This is the basic definition for fasting a means through which we acknowledge the faults of our flesh. So the most common concept associated with fasting is an act through which one expresses remorse, it is a display of humility by acknowledging one’s own faults and it is generally described as an act of mourning. Daniel described his fast as, “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” Daniel 10:2-3

We will now examine the various conditions under which the old saints practised fasting. Let us first consider King David, when he killed Uriah and took his wife. The Lord brought to light his deed and the consequences that would follow. “And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.” 2 Samuel 12:15-16 But when the child died, David stopped his fast, washed himself, worshipped God and asked for food to be brought to him. When his servants were perplexed by his behaviour he responded, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast?” [vs. 22-23] David was expressing his remorse and mourning through fasting that God perhaps would turn away from the judgement that was due for his sins. But when the judgement was put to effect, David saw no point in continuing to fast. 

Let us now consider the most wicked of all the kings of Israel, Ahab. Ahab through the help of his wife Jezebel killed Naboth through false accusation so he may take possession of his land. So Elijah met him and declared to him what God is going to do to him and to those associated with him for all the evil he has done. “So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,  “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days.” 1 Kings 21:27-29 This wicked king expressed sorrow for the evil he has done through fasting and humbled himself before God and God did not let him see the disaster.  

We will also consider Daniel who is famed for his fasting and prayer. When Daniel recognised Israel’s 70 years of exile was fulfilled he set himself to seek God. “I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.” Daniel 9:3-5 Daniel was engaged in the prayer of confession with fasting as an expression of remorse for all the sins he and his nation have done. His fast was aimed at one objective which Isaiah describes as “to make [his] voice heard on high.” And when Daniel encountered the angel he was told, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.” Daniel 10:12 His words were heard because of the nobility of his quest and the humble way he went about it. That is his humility in recognising his sin and the sins of his nation through fasting. Daniel was justifying God for His judgement and exalting Him for His mercy to restore them.

Let us now take into consideration a heathen nation, Nineveh. A city which was filled with corruption and all manner of evil but at the preaching of Jonah they all repented with fasting, sackcloths and ashes, turning away from the evil of their ways and God showed them mercy relenting from the disaster He was going to bring upon them. “Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?” Jonah 3:7-9 A nation outside the covenant of God expressed sorrow for sins through the act of fasting. The point being, be it under Law or outside of the Law fasting addressed the same issue of Sin which afflicted both Jew and Gentiles.  

We will also briefly look at other circumstances under which the old testament saints practised fastings. For this we will consider Ezra 8:21 and Esther 4:15-16. In both these instances they undertook fasting to gain favour from God so that they may have success in their pursuit. Though no obvious sin was being addressed here both Ezra and Esther were fundamentally acknowledging the fallen nature of their flesh through fasting. And like Daniel they did it for the purpose of their voice to be heard on high. This is the most essential aspect we seem to overlook when considering old testament saints that they served God in their sinful flesh. Flesh in which Sin dwelt. [Romans 7:17-18] So Moses, Daniel, David, Esther and Ezra all fasted because they needed to address the glaring issue of Sin in their flesh. Isaiah writes, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 God will not hear because of sins so the old saints fasted as an act of remorse addressing their sins in order to have their voice heard. 

“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.” Nehemiah 9:1-2

The barrier between us and God has always been the presence of Sin in our body. And Israel served God in the Law through the flesh. And the various washing ordinances and dietary requirements all address the essential element of Sin in the flesh. [Hebrews 9:9-10] And fasting served as a means of expressing remorse for sin by humbling the body. And this had application to everyone who is in the flesh be it Nineveh or Israel. Even though Israel had the Law yet ALL were in the flesh and under Sin. So Not only those under the Law but even unbelieving nations saw the value of fasting to mourn for sins. So fasting is not some mysterious remedy that captures God’s ear it was simply implemented to address the issue of Sin in the flesh. Fasting is mourning for Sin!

Having said all this the ULTIMATE point for us to consider is what the Lord Himself deemed fasting to be. “Jesus said to them, “Can the sons of the bridechamber MOURN as long as the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom shall have been taken away from them, and then they will FAST.” Matthew 9:15 The Lord gave His presence in the midst of His disciples to be the very reason why His disciples ought not to mourn/fast. And He did that because He was sent to deal with the issue of Sin/flesh. “​​But now He has been revealed once in the consummation of the ages for the putting away of sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:26 This brings us face to face with the question, “Should we who have been forgiven and washed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ mourn for our sins?”

His presence in the flesh among His disciples is mirrored in His presence in us through His Holy Spirit. ​​“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you to the age— the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see Him nor know. But you know Him, for He abides with you and He will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I AM COMING TO YOU.” John 14:16-18 So Paul says to the Corinthians, “The one being joined to the Lord is one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17 We are permanently united as one with Him. So the same statement of the Lord still stands, “Can the sons of the bridechamber MOURN as long as the bridegroom is with them?” The answer is a definite No! The very reason why Paul instructs us saying, “REJOICE ALWAYS!” We no longer have any reason to mourn for our sins, to beat our chests or cover ourselves with ashes and sackcloths, God is NOT served by it. If God hears the words of our mouth it certainly is NOT because we afflicted our souls through fasting. It is SOLELY because we have believed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. [John 16:23-27] The only ground on which we are accepted. [Ephesians 1:5-6]

There is a fundamental change that has taken place between us and the old testament saints. And we have not quite grasped the depth of the magnitude of the significance of this change and of its implication to us. So we look at the old saints and we seek to conduct ourselves according to them. They fasted seeking God so we think we need to do the same without giving the slightest bit of consideration to what the Cross of Christ means to us. That we are the righteousness of God in Christ. [2 Corinthians 5:21] That our body of Sin is put away once and for all through baptism in the death and burial of the Lord Jesus Christ. [Colossians 2:11-12]  And we are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. [Romans 8:9]

Sin no longer dwells in us! Our body is NOW the temple of the Holy Spirit and it is Him who gives life to our mortal body. [Romans 8:11] So fasting does not hold the same level of significance of humility to us as it did to the old testament saints. On the contrary in our case it is a display of our own lack of knowledge of our inheritance in Christ. Paul said to the Galatians, “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected in the flesh?” Galatians 3:3 We need to give careful consideration if indeed there is a difference between circumcision and fasting? We are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. And restraining our stomach from food and drink is an act directed at the flesh and the harsh treatment we subject our bodies to does not affect any Spiritual significance. In Christ every aspect of our transformation, growth and blessing are of faith and by the Spirit of God. 

“For the kingdom of God is NOT eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the one serving Christ in these things is well-pleasing to God and approved by men.” Romans 14:17-18 

When we say we are in the Spirit NOT in the flesh we are not only addressing the concept of fallen nature but to the same extent it is applied to the Lord Himself. “Therefore from now, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have regarded Christ according to flesh, yet now we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, the new has come into being.” 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 That is of the body, of natural flesh by the same measure we are also not of the flesh. We are in the Spirit, this is the basic foundation we stand on in Christ. It is the very essence of our righteousness in Christ, that we are redeemed from the flesh to be in the Spirit. However we keep on negating this truth. WE are NOT in the FLESH. The very reason why fasting and circumcision do not quite hold the same level of significance to us.  

The practice of fasting is like having a dummy we might be comforted by it but it produces no milk to benefit us. And God is unwilling to remove it from us until we ourselves have come to the full realisation of it. So He says, “​​Let each be fully assured in [his] own mind. The one regarding the day, regards it to the Lord; the one eating, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and the one not eating, does not eat to the Lord and gives thanks to God.” Romans 14:5-6 But at the same time, He also emphatically states Eating or Drinking has NO significance in the kingdom of God. [Romans 14:17] Paul is not only addressing the issue of eating meat but ALL observances that under the Law were meant to have significance. The Lord Himself said, “It is the Spirit giving life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63 Meaning circumcision profits nothing [Galatians 5:6], abstaining from certain foods or paying attention to certain days profit nothing [Colossians 2:16] and yes, fasting also profits nothing. 

Our liberty is determined in the knowledge of the truth. If we have come to KNOW fasting was practised in response to the issue of Sin then we have no grounds to continue to practise it as we have always done. Paul in Colossians exhorts our conduct saying, “If you have died with Christ, away from the principles of the world, why as if living in the world do you submit to decrees: “You should not handle! You should not taste! You should not touch!”?— which are all unto decay with the use, according to the precepts and teachings of men, which having indeed an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility and HARSH treatment of the body, are NOT OF ANY VALUE against the indulgence of the flesh.” Colossians 2:20-23   

We will now consider the different ways God dealt with us and the old testament saints according to covenants. 

Mourning vs Rejoicing: “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing—” Joel 2:12-14 We see here how God’s blessings Under the Law were dependent on the successful expression of remorse for sin through fasting. So when Daniel wanted to make his request known to God he said, “I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” 

Now let us compare that to what Paul says to us on how we ought to present our request to God, Under Grace. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious about nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:4-6 Where Daniel and all the old testaments saints inserted “with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” Paul tells us we ought to make our request known to God “with thanksgiving” without the slightest hint of being anxious but with absolute assurance that God is more than willing to bless us. Even though Daniel was one who was greatly beloved yet we have a better covenant through the Lord Jesus Christ. So Daniel’s approach no matter how noble according to the TIME he served God, it does not hold the slightest bit of significance to us who serve God in the Spirit. 

“Rejoice always. Pray unceasingly. Give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God toward you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Christ has come to dwell in us permanently by His Spirit and because of this we are in a perpetual state of celebration. God’s ear will always be attentive toward us as we come to the full realisation of our righteousness in Christ Jesus. So we have no grounds to afflict our bodies or our souls or to act in any manner of mourning when we know the Bridegroom dwells in us. We are no longer servants but we are the sons and daughters of God. We would be greatly better served if we recognise this fact and praise Him than mourn before Him. “Through Him then, we should offer the sacrifice of praise continually, everything to God, that is, the fruit of the lips confessing His name.” Hebrews 13:15

Fasting vs Boldness: “Indeed you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? [ref: Day of Atonement]” Isaiah 58:4-5 

Here we see how God under the covenant of the Law gave fasting as means by which “to make [their] voice heard on high.” Yet even in that God was not pleased because they had made fasting to be a meaningless act because they continued to do evil. In the same way God also disregarded the sacrifice offered to Him through hands that perpetually seek to do evil in [Isaiah 1:11-17]. So similarly here Isaiah also countered fasting with acts of righteousness and said, ​​“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?” Isaiah 58:6-7 The result of which is, “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’” [vs. 9] The answer to fasting God has chosen is Righteousness. And the comparison of Isaiah 1 to Isaiah 58 clearly shows how Fasting and Sacrifice closely complement each other in addressing the issue of Sin. 

There is a point worth considering here that “BAPTISM” is a counterpart to “FASTING.” Under the Law Fasting and Sacrifice presented a complete picture of Atonement. That on the day of atonement when the high priest presented an offering for the sins of the people on the very same day the people afflicted themselves through fasting. [Leviticus 16:29-30] And this was repeated year after year because the conscience of the one that offers it was never cleansed and because Sin remains in the body. [Hebrews 10:1-4] However for us Jesus Christ is our High Priest and He has presented a COMPLETED work atoning for ALL of our sins through the sacrifice of Himself. [Hebrews 9:25-26] We also in response to our High Priest are expected to afflict ourselves so to speak through baptism addressing the issue of the body of Sin once and for all in death and burial with the Lord and be raised to a newness of life. [Romans 6:2-4] One Sacrifice for Sin and one baptism. 

Christ is our righteous ground on which we are to approach God, He is our Atonement. So under the covenant of Christ God’s invitation to us is, “We should come with boldness to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 [&] “Therefore brothers, having confidence for entering the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He dedicated for us through the veil that is His flesh, and having a great priest over the house of God, we should draw near with a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith, our hearts having been sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our body having been washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-23 We are invited to enter the throne of God with boldness, with confidence and with full assurance of faith that God will ALWAYS hear us. Contrasted against God’s own view of fasting which is, “to bow the head as burlush,” and that is NOT boldness! Therefore fasting serves NO purpose for us in sight of God. 

We have to come to the full realisation of what Christ has purchased for us upon the cross. We CANNOT blindly apply the practices of the old saints and expect it to have the same significance for us. “Now we have been released from the Law, having died to that which we were bound, in order for us to serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.” Romans 7:6 And FASTING is as much an aspect of the LAW as sacrifice offering for Sin is! However we are established under the covenant of the righteousness of faith as Abraham. [Galatians 3:17-18] Therefore if our sanctification or righteousness or any element of our blessings depended on ANY element of our own effort according to the flesh then Christ died in vain. So Paul makes the point against such endeavours saying, “which having indeed an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility and harsh treatment of the body, are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.” And this encapsulates all concepts of quietening, silencing or subduing the flesh for supposed spiritual benefit. 

We are under a New Covenant, therefore we need to change our perspective on fasting. It is absolutely WRONG for us to presume fasting will gain us ANY FAVOUR with God. Fasting has value to us NOT because it is directed at God but towards one another. So Paul says, “Therefore, if food snares my brother, never shall not I eat meat to the age, so that I might not snare my brother.” 1 Corinthians 8:13 And [L.S] also sought to advocate fasting a couple of meals a week purely for the purpose a Christian would have some to give to those who hunger. “To share your bread with the hungry.” The Lord is telling us to live a considerate life to the benefit of one another! The point for us to grasp is since we are NOT addressing the issue of Sin in our flesh, for us to simply subject our bodies to hunger and thirst without a clear indication of serving God to the benefit of another is meaningless. Therefore this self flagellation we subject our bodies through fasting serves NO purpose to God who has ALREADY favoured and blessed us in Christ. [Ephesians 1:3]

This brings us to the final point, why did the early Christians fast? The key point for us to see is fasting came to effect through the Law. And for the early Christians of whom the majority were Jews it was part and parcel of the normal practice of faith. So they fasted when they sent someone as in Acts 13:2 or when they instigated elders into ministry in Acts 14:23 to the same concept as Ezra and Esther fasted when they undertook great endeavours seeking favour from God. It was the practice of a well established tradition rather than an expression of a special significance. Because even though Paul himself practised fasting often however he never sought to to exhort us to the same practice. And not only him, neither Peter, nor John, nor James nor Jude sought to exhort us to fast. Now if fasting indeed truly had any spiritual significance, Paul would have had cause, in fact it was incumbent on him as a teacher to the Gentiles to instruct us in the observance of that practice but he never did. Not once. He never exhorted Timothy or Titus to the practice of fasting but he repeatedly advocated diligence in prayer with thanksgiving. He also affirmed that he held Nothing helpful back from us saying, “For I did not shrink back from proclaiming to you the WHOLE counsel of God.” Acts 20:27 

The point is we MUST see Acts as a record of the early Christians coming into grips with this new way of life and faith. We see them growing right before our eyes as they come to the full realisation that the salvation of God is given to the entire world. They were growing revelation by revelation to the point Peter himself pondered the difficulties of Paul’s writing saying, “​​In all the letters, speaking in them concerning these things, among which some things are difficult to be understood.” 2 Peter 3:16 They encountered many difficulties and disputed among themselves in regards to the Law and the traditions of the fathers and had great difficulty coming to terms with eating any common meat and many other practices. [Acts 6:9-11, Acts 11:1-3, Acts 15:2-6, Acts 21:17-24, Galatians 2:11-16]

So when we consider Paul’s own statement of his own practice of fasting, we need to keep in mind Paul sought to the best of his ability to minister without offence to as many people as possible. [1 Corinthians 9:19-23] He forgo his rights and he subjected himself to all manner of harsh conditions for the sake of the gospel. So when he lists fasting among the many things which he endured he is saying it so that his ministry may not be blamed. [2 Corinthians 6:3] He was also “foolishly” comparing himself against other Hebrew ministers and he listed “fasting often” as one of the aspects that ought to commend him. [2 Corinthians 11:22-23] The point being in a tradition that is well practised far and wide he saw it needful to practise fasting. This fact is nowhere better illustrated for us as the circumcision he subjected Timothy WHILE he was in the very process of affirming the decree of the Jerusalem council that Gentiles need not be subject to the Law or circumcision. [Acts 16:1-4] Everything Paul did, he did in the service of the Gospel so that he might present it without difficulty to many. [1 Corinthians 10:33] So Paul sought to advocate a practice of faith in consideration of one another, which Romans 14 specifically addresses.

This being said, fasting is a practice we ourselves have elevated and have bound ourselves by comparing ourselves against old saints who served God in their flesh and were under the Law. And we have neglected the truth that our service to God is no longer based in the flesh but in the Spirit. Nevertheless we ourselves have to be fully convinced otherwise we might end up condemning ourselves. [Romans 14:23]

 “Therefore as many as are mature should be of this mind. And if you are minded in anything differently, even this God will reveal to you. Nevertheless, to that which we have attained, we are to walk by the same.”  

Philippians 3:15-16

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