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Fasting is abstaining from eating, or another legitimate activity, for religious purposes. Jews fasted on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-31; 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7-11), and for other special reasons such as mourning (1 Samuel 31:13), after defeat in battle (1 Samuel 7:6), as a sign of repentance or remorse ((2 Samuel 12:15-23, Joel 2:12-13), and to accompany intercession (Nehemiah 1,4).

Jesus fasted during his wilderness preparation for ministry (Matthew 4:1-2, Luke 4:1-2), but said only two things about fasting in his teaching in the gospels: it was an act of private devotion to God, and was appropriate once he left his followers (Matthew 6:16-18, 9:14-15; cf. Mark 2:18-20; Luke 5:33-35). The apostolic church apparently observed fasts during times of solemn commitment (Acts 13:2-3, 14:23).

Fasting is 'praying with the body', an affirmation of one's hunger for God and his will, and act of spiritual discipline, and an assertion of the goodness of God in creation, which one appreciates better in abstention; it 'expresses penitence for the rejection and crucifixion of Christ by the human race; it is a following of Jesus on his way of fasting; it is one element in mortification; the acceptance of death of self in the death of Christ, and thereby an act of faith in the resurrection.' (20)

Fasting has its dangers, when misused for selfish ends. The Bible notes such abuses as fasting as a means of getting things from God (manipulation or magic); it can be a substitute for genuine repentance and be formalistic; it can be masochistic - an exaggerated self-denial; psychological evidence shows fasting can sometimes lead to self-induced visions which may not be helpful. (21) R.D.

So, in summary, there are no biblical laws that command regular fasting, but, as Martin Luther said, 'It was not Christ's intention to reject or despise fasting... it was his intention to restore proper fasting.' It is clear that Christ both upheld the discipline of fasting and anticipated that his followers would do it. (22)

Further Reading: Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978; Arthur Wallis, God's Chosen Fast, CLC, 1986; Joseph F. Wemmer, Fasting in the New Testament, Paulist Press, 1982.