Matthew 9:14-17 Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting
Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
In Jesus’ day, In Jesus’ day, Jews fasted on six days a year, including two full-day fasts and four minor fasts; however, those who were particularly observant might fast more frequently. Remember Jesus’ story of the tax collector and the Pharisee praying in the temple. The Pharisee boasted that he fasted twice a week, and this was a relatively common practice. Evidently, John’s disciples may have been following a similar pattern while Jesus’ disciples were not fasting. Little wonder if John’s disciples felt that Jesus’ disciples were getting off lightly. It’s not clear whether John was demanding this frequent fasting or if his disciples were doing it on their own to prove their holiness.
Jesus gave a loving answer to John’s disciples by telling them that his disciples were not fasting now because he was with him. Once Jesus returned to heaven, then his disciples would definitely fast.
Yes, disciples should fast sometimes; however, there are all kinds of fasts, depending on the reason and the needs. The day-long traditional Jewish fasts were observed as part of days of repentance and prayer. Jesus mention after healing a boy with demonically induced epilepsy that such demons could only come out by prayer and fasting, indicating that there were times when he fasted. Earlier on, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advised that fasting should be carried out secretly so that only God and the one fasting would know what was happening. True fasting is a matter between God and you and is not an opportunity for you to show off or to boast. Generally, one of the effects of fasting is that God can speak to you, showing you things in your life that need to change.
When Queen Esther found herself having to approach the king, she and her maids and the rest of the Jewish community went without food or water for 3 days because the need was so urgent. Many people will take only water and fruit juice or milk.
Sometimes, people may engage in a “Daniel fast,” in which they eat only vegetables and drink only water. Such fasts can be carried on for weeks if the person feels so led. If you feel God calling you to fast, ask God what He wants you to do, for He certainly knows what your body needs and is capable of handling.
Does fasting work in modern times? Yes. I was once in a ladies’ prayer meeting when a demonically possessed woman began manifesting. One of the ladies present, a slightly built older lady, stepped forward, prayed a simple prayer, and the demon left. Later we learned that this woman had been fasting all during the Christmas season because God had ordered her to do so. This meant giving up all the Christmastime goodies, but this lady was faithful. Her comment was, “Now I know why God insisted I should fast.”
Jesus mentioned patches of new material on old garments and new wine in old wineskins to indicate that new times call for new practices. John’s disciples were following traditional practices and copying the Pharisees because they thought that’s how disciples of holy men should behave. Jesus wanted John’s disciples to know that he was bringing in a new era of freedom in which believers would fast because God wanted them to and not simply because they were following tradition. The new wine of the Messiah had arrived and new times demanded new practices.
Should you fast? Ask God. You might want to begin by giving up one meal a day or by limiting your diet or by only eating within a limited time period. But ask God to show you why He wants you to fast, for He will surely do it.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, teach us to fast the way You want us to. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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