Matthew 6:16–18

In verses 1 to 4 we have seen righteousness toward men (including giving); in verses 5 to 15 prayer toward God; now in verses 16 to 18 the subject is fasting. This one faces self. It is personal self-denial, for true self-denial is personal through and through, not for display at all… It might be done so that a person can give his own time and energy to some particular service for the Lord. If so, why should I want anyone else to know it besides the Lord?

Prayer holds the middle place between giving to the poor and fasting. It is the godly and holy basis that guards the other two, binding them up with faith against mere outward form.

I believe there is a real value in fasting that few of us know much about. Suppose that on special occasions calling for personal prayer, someone joined fasting to that prayer. I have no doubt he would feel the blessing of it. Fasting expresses a humbling of spirit… In fasting the body shows its sympathy with what the spirit is passing through. It is a way of expressing our desire to be low before God, in the attitude of humiliation.

In fasting the Lord touches that inward putting to death which expresses the realization of what man is in the sight of God… Fasting treats the body's earthly desires as if they did not exist. It does not minister to self — an unnatural condition which implies a fallen nature. You can do nothing with it but leave it out.

The hypocrites put on a sad face to look as godly as possible, and to make people see how earnest they are. But as we have already seen in verses 2 and 5, our God and Father gives us no reward when we seek it through a mere show of godliness and recognition from men.

In fact, in Israel, where the outward religion of the Pharisees marked the nation, people turned fasting into its very opposite. They made it accredit self instead of discrediting self. It brought self forward instead of setting it aside… The Lord puts an end to this. He makes fasting a thing to be done before the Father and not before men — before the eyes of Him who sees in secret.

Three times over the Lord says of the mere formalist, "They have received their reward." Their reward is the approval and praise of their fellows. This they have. It is all in the present, and there is nothing more to come. The one who gives or prays or fasts unknown to men but known to God will be rewarded openly in the day to come.

The Lord does not so much command fasting as bring it, like prayer, under the Christian principle of having to do with our Father in secret. It falls under the individual life of faith. Yet He does sanction and approve of it when practised in that way… He also hints at its value for spiritual power. Godly men have always felt, and must feel, how fitting it is for humbling the soul before God, when public or private need called for humiliation.

Fasting is not merely external. Isaiah asks, "Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?" If fasting is just a matter of food, posture and dress, it is pure hypocrisy. Sadly, there is a great deal of this.

We still have to weigh our Lord's words on fasting. They are the third part of His teaching on "righteousness" (not "alms") in the first verse of the chapter. Prayer holds the middle place between giving and fasting. It is the godly and holy ground that guards the other two, tying them to faith and keeping them from empty form.

The word for anointing the body after washing is commonly used for the eastern practice of anointing the body, or parts of it, for comfort, appearance, friendliness, healing, or burial. For everyday grooming compare Ruth 3:3; 2 Samuel 12:20; 2 Chronicles 28:15; Matthew 6:17. Skipping it was a sign of mourning: 2 Samuel 14:2; Daniel 10:3.

Fasting means setting self aside. Not only the self tied to the evil within, but the claims of nature itself are set aside, so that we may have to do with God. It recognises that there are spiritual matters in hand of deeper importance than even the body's rightful claims… He is "anointed" and "washed." His heart is right and his life is right. He does not look "gloomy," because the joy of Heaven fills his heart here on earth, and the Father who sees in secret rewards him.

If someone joined fasting to prayer on the special occasions that call for particular personal prayer, I have no doubt the blessing of it would be felt. Fasting is one of those things in which the body shares in what the spirit is going through. It is a way of expressing our desire to be low before God, in an attitude of humbling ourselves.

In fact, in Israel, where the outward religion of the Pharisees marked the nation, fasting was twisted into its very opposite. It was used to commend self instead of discrediting self. It pushed self forward instead of setting self aside… He puts an end to this by making fasting something done before the Father and not before people: before the eyes of Him who sees in secret.

But the flesh can take advantage even of what is meant to put the body down. So the Lord tells us to take steps not to appear to others to be fasting, rather than allow any display. A true Christian would shrink from putting on a false appearance. Still, the devil would trick him into it, unless he watches himself closely before God.

As already mentioned, the Lord Jesus neither gives a commandment to fast, nor does He forbid it here. He leaves fasting as a personal exercise of the heart but gives the warning not to do it in a hypocritical manner (as with giving alms and praying).

At least, it should not make me miserable looking, as though it was a burden to miss a meal! If fasting is willingly done, it should certainly be cheerfully done. If done honestly for the Father's glory, the Father will reward it.

The Lord Jesus does not mention when and how the Father will reward, but we know that God rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

I believe there is a real value in fasting that few of us know much about. If someone joined fasting to prayer on the occasions that call for special personal prayer, I have no doubt he would feel the blessing of it. There is humbling of spirit expressed in it... Fasting is one of those things where the body shows its sympathy with what the spirit is going through. It is a way of expressing our desire to be low before God, in an attitude of humiliation. But the flesh can take advantage even of what is meant to keep the body in check. So the Lord tells us to take steps not to appear to others to be fasting, rather than to allow any display.

In Israel, fasting was abused to its very opposite. It was made to accredit self, instead of discrediting it. It brought it into prominence, instead of setting it aside... He puts an end to this by making it a thing to be before the Father and not before men: before the eyes of Him who sees in secret. As to the practice of it, He does not really decide anything... That the true life is one that is to be lived before God is the main point upon which He is here insisting.

There is a deep moral connection between true prayer and fasting, as all spiritual minds have felt. Its blessedness is this: a Christian may be so taken up with God and His things that he forgets the needs of the body for the time. And even when those needs press on him, he may be so filled with God that he can deny the natural in the power of what is spiritual. Such a state, it is needless to say, is far from the eyes of other people.

"Your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (4, 6, 18). What encouragement! and at the same time, what a wholesome reminder!... He said "your Father" to each person one by one, not to a crowd, pointing to the tie of birth formed between each true disciple and God. Each can say, "He is my Father." And if he is alone on earth for any reason, with no one here to turn to, that eye is still looking down on him — the eye of his Father who sees in secret.

So it is not a question of open reward, in verses 1 and 18 (leave out "openly") — "Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you" is enough. "I know your works."

The Lord Jesus does not mention when and how the Father will reward, but we know that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).

The real source of strength in faith lies in the hidden relationship with our God and Father. Someone once said: "We cannot confess the Lord publicly if we have not been in secret communion with Him on our knees."