The Correction: When You Fast
Now back to our section on fasting.
Just as before, after Jesus has called out the Pharisees for being hypocrites, He instructs us on how it is that we should fast.
17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Now here is the most difficult part of what Jesus is saying: But you, when you fast...
Here we see that He expects us to fast. Fasting is a part of the believer’s life. Matthew Henry, Augustine and Calvin all say that it is expected that we fast, but it is not a requirement. In other words, we are not to require people to fast, yet, be open that there are times when we should fast.
Jesus also makes the point of not doing anything that would draw attention to ourselves when we are fasting. The anointing of the head, and washing of the face that He mentions, were things that were done in the normal course of the day.
For us, it would mean we shower and shave like normal. We wear clean clothes. We do nothing to draw attention to ourselves.
They were to go unnoticed, and we are as well.
The beauty is, that when we fast with an eye toward our Savior, we are not going unnoticed.
