Topical Bible: Fasting: Extraordinary Exemplified: Our Lord

◄ Fasting: Extraordinary Exemplified: Our Lord ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Fasting, a spiritual discipline involving abstention from food and sometimes drink, is a practice deeply rooted in biblical tradition. It is often associated with prayer, repentance, and seeking divine guidance. Among the most profound examples of fasting in the Bible is the fast undertaken by Jesus Christ, our Lord, which serves as a model of extraordinary spiritual devotion and discipline.

Biblical Account

The account of Jesus' fasting is found in the Synoptic Gospels, with the most detailed description in the Gospel of Matthew. After His baptism by John the Baptist, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It is here that He fasted for forty days and forty nights. The Gospel of Matthew records:

"After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. Then the tempter came to Him and said, 'If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.' But Jesus answered, 'It is written: "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."' (Matthew 4:2-4).

This period of fasting was not only a time of physical deprivation but also a profound spiritual preparation for His public ministry. Jesus' fast is marked by its duration and the intense spiritual battle that followed, highlighting His reliance on Scripture and the power of God's Word.

Significance and Purpose

Jesus' fast in the wilderness is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates His complete dependence on the Father and His commitment to fulfilling His divine mission. By abstaining from food, Jesus exemplified the principle that spiritual nourishment and obedience to God's will are paramount.

Secondly, the fast underscores Jesus' identification with humanity. By experiencing hunger and temptation, He fully embraced the human condition, yet without sin. This act of fasting was a testament to His role as the perfect mediator between God and man.

Thirdly, Jesus' response to Satan's temptations during the fast reveals the power of Scripture in spiritual warfare. Each temptation was met with a quotation from the Book of Deuteronomy, emphasizing the authority and sufficiency of God's Word.

Theological Implications

Theologically, Jesus' fasting is a profound expression of His obedience and submission to the Father's will. It prefigures His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, where He would fully surrender Himself for the redemption of humanity. The fast also serves as a paradigm for believers, illustrating the importance of spiritual discipline, reliance on God, and the use of Scripture in overcoming temptation.

Practical Application

For Christians, Jesus' example of fasting provides a model for spiritual growth and intimacy with God. It encourages believers to seek God's presence through fasting and prayer, especially during times of trial and decision-making. The practice of fasting, as demonstrated by our Lord, is a means of drawing closer to God, aligning one's will with His, and experiencing His sustaining grace.

In summary, the extraordinary fast of our Lord Jesus Christ is a profound testament to His divine mission, His identification with humanity, and His unwavering commitment to the Father's will. It remains a powerful example for believers, calling them to a deeper relationship with God through the discipline of fasting.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 4:2
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God's Sovereignty and Prayer
... a man prays or not is exemplified daily in ... seek by prayer and supplications, with
fasting, and sackcloth ... of becoming "puffed up" by his extraordinary experience ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter nine gods sovereignty and.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... Fasting, commonly within men's power, [618]50; needed for contention with bad spirits ...
matters is he who yields, [779]94; reason from our Lord's example, [780]95 ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

Footnotes
... Faithful Witness Bearing Exemplified, preface, p. iv ... of the gospel, who was removed
from this world in the 26th year of his age, and in the year of our Lord 1653 ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/footnotes.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1820 to the Beginning ...
... they go through a most painful process of fasting and other ... "Another instance of
extraordinary blessing among ... 27th of July last, when one of our brethren came ...
/.../chapter 6 from the close.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1800, to the End of ...
... is there, after all, any thing so very extraordinary in the ... "Monday, 5. We had a
day of fasting and humiliation ... of Mr. Jarratt, as they were exemplified in his ...
/.../chapter 5 from the close.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... death'[58] 'after his wonted manner.' He exemplified the character ... that a young man
of such extraordinary powers of ... a short time the words of our Lord to Peter ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
... his old age, miserably perishes in prison, it reminds us of our Lord's saying,
'with ... The extraordinary depths of hypocrisy, used in gaining the affections of a ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the life and death of.htm

The Pilgrim's Progress
... unto them.[45] Then Christiana made low obeisance, and said, Let not our Lord be
offended with his handmaidens, for that we have knocked at His princely gate. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the pilgrims progress.htm

part ii
... sorrows, sicknesses, and labours, by fasting, vigilance, prayer ... Only Our Lady, the
Mother of God, was ... Her mother's womb, and afterwards the Lord sanctified Her ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm