What does the Old Testament say about fasting? Here are a few thoughts:
- The Bible never stops to define fasting. In the Law, it’s called “denying yourself” or “afflicting your soul.”
- Fasting was commanded to be done on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29, 31; 23:27-32; Numbers 29:7; Jeremiah 36:6; Acts 27:9)
- The Jews came to celebrate four other fasts on an annual basis (Zechariah 8:19)
- The Feast of Purim was added even later (Esther 9:31-32)
- Many individual Jews fasted on a regular basis (Matthew 9:14; Mark 2:18; Luke 2:37; 18:12)
- Fasting was done on special occasions:
- Public national fasts on account of sin or to supplicate divine favour were sometimes held (1 Samuel 7:6; 2 Chronicles 20:3; Jeremiah 36:6-10; Nehemiah 9:1)
- There were also local fasts. (Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:12; 1 Kings 21:9-12; Ezra 8:21-23; Jonah 3:5-9.
- There are many instances of private occasional fasting (1 Samuel 1:7; 20:34; 2 Samuel 3:35; 12:16; 1 Kings 21:27; Ezra 10:6; Nehemiah 1:4; Daniel 10:2, 3). Moses fasted forty days (Ex. 24:18; 34:28), and so also did Elijah (1 Kings 19:8).
- The prophets had to correct the abuse of fasting (Isaiah 58:4; Jeremiah 14:12; Zechariah 7:5)
- Yet fasting was still expected of God’s people (Joel 1:14; 2:12-13)
When New Testament times arrive, fasting is a part of what God’s people do to worship him:
- Jesus fasted 40 days (Matthew 4:2)
- Jesus’ disciples did not regularly fast (Matthew 9:14)
- Jesus’ expected that his followers would fast when he was no longer physically present (Matthew 6:16-18)
- Early Christians fasted
- As part of worship (Acts 13:2)
- As part of the elder selection process (Acts 14:23)
Can you think of any texts that I missed?
Good post Tim. I am amazed at how many people miss the fact that fasting, which went along with prayer, was a big part of the early church.
Thanks Bobby. I know that fasting is something that’s easy for me to overlook. It used to be more a part of my life than it is now.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
What I find interesting is that most Christians today while acknowledging the presence of fasting in scripture, are prone to write it off as simply a primitive style of worship. Far too many times I’ve had people compare fasting with a WWJD bracelet or whatever else they see fit as the more modern method of keeping God on your mind. I think scripture would say there is a lot more to it than that.
Skye,
Hey, nice to see you here in the Kitchen. As to your comment, it seems to me that we want to write off certain practices as being limited to that culture, while insisting that others must be practiced just as they were then.
Grace and peace,
Tim
thanks for putting in this work, Tim. I would go so far as to suggest that much of the brokenness in Western society might find its source in how foolish and old-timey we believe fasting to be.
Ironically (if we read conservative writing, anyway) it is postmodern believers who are learning the great value in the experiential aspects of faith, like fasting and other disciplines.
It is sad, though, that we have very little historical record of pre-exilic Israel keeping many of the fasts or feasts. Worshipping Asherah was just more fun.
Self-indulgence winning out over self-denial? That’s hard to imagine.
I think part of the problem with fasting is that we live in such an opulent society. Kinda hard to fast when you live next to a buffet. And kinda hard not to have to announce you’re fasting when people insist on eating as the major form of fellowship and socialization. Probably easier to fast in other countries.
Don, I think you’ve got a point. I think fasting is particularly difficult in our society, for a number of reasons.
Don, I would think eating was as least as central to fellowship in NT times, if not more so!