Fasting, a spiritual discipline often associated with humility and repentance, can be misused when practiced with the wrong intentions. The Bible addresses the issue of hypocritical fasting, where individuals boast of their fasting before God and others, seeking human admiration rather than divine approval.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 58:3-4 : The prophet Isaiah confronts the people of Israel for their insincere fasting. They question, "Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?" God responds by highlighting their hypocrisy, as they continue to exploit their workers and engage in strife and contention even while fasting. This passage underscores that God is not impressed by outward displays of piety when they are not accompanied by genuine righteousness and justice.

2. Matthew 6:16-18 : Jesus explicitly warns against the practice of hypocritical fasting in the Sermon on the Mount. He instructs, "When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their reward." Instead, Jesus advises fasting in secret, with the assurance that "your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." This teaching emphasizes the importance of sincerity and the desire to please God rather than seeking human recognition.

3. Luke 18:11-14 : In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus illustrates the futility of boasting about one's fasting. The Pharisee stands and prays about himself, saying, "I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire." In contrast, the tax collector humbly asks for God's mercy. Jesus concludes that the tax collector, not the Pharisee, is justified before God. This parable highlights the danger of self-righteousness and the importance of humility in spiritual practices.

Theological Insights:

The fasting of hypocrites is characterized by a focus on external appearances rather than internal transformation. It is a form of spiritual pride that seeks to elevate oneself in the eyes of others, rather than fostering a deeper relationship with God. Such fasting is ultimately self-serving and fails to achieve its intended spiritual purpose.

The Bible consistently teaches that God desires a contrite heart and genuine repentance over mere ritualistic observance. True fasting is an act of worship that aligns one's heart with God's will, seeking His presence and guidance. It is a private matter between the individual and God, not a public display for human accolades.

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to examine their motives when engaging in fasting or any spiritual discipline. The focus should be on drawing closer to God, seeking His will, and cultivating a spirit of humility and repentance. By fasting in secret and avoiding the temptation to boast, Christians can ensure that their fasting is pleasing to God and spiritually beneficial.Luke 18:12
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

V. ...
... The hypocrites who rest on their own works, and hence ... but that only can be called
true fasting, when we ... the Jews were formerly deceived, who boasted that they ...
/.../the epistles of st peter and st jude preached and explained/chapter i v .htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... come in, when they presented themselves before him![5]. ... Those, I mean, whose fear
towards God "is taught ... the precept of men." They are hypocrites; their worship ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

The Barren Fig-Tree;
... one.' The tares, that is, the hypocrites, that are ... Where is thy watching, thy fasting,
thy praying ... is thy self-abhorrence, thy blushing before God, for the sin ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the barren fig-tree.htm

Psalm XXXV.
... In this manner then was our Lord also in fasting. ... said He, "Why tempt ye Me, ye
hypocrites?" [797] Afterward ... it." This is all whereof He boasted Himself, when ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xxxv.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... follow in detail the views now expounded, and before I come to Scripture and show
by it that fasting is pleasing ... in the Gospel to him who had boasted of having ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

The Pharisee and the Publican
... he wanted in those things wherein he boasted himself, sincerity ... a due debt; nor could
they go before God for a ... a payment; but proud men and hypocrites love so ...
/.../bunyan/the pharisee and publican/the pharisee and the publican.htm

A Discourse Upon the Pharisee and the Publican
... he wanted in those things wherein he boasted himself, sincerity ... a due debt; nor could
they go before God for a ... a payment; but proud men and hypocrites, love so ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse upon the pharisee.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... as I could to fill my belly with its delicates, lest I should die before I had my
desire.' He thus solemnly adds, 'In these things, I protest before God, I lie ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
... For, as I said before, to swear is to call God to witness; and to swear
to a lie is to call God to witness that that lie is true. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the life and death of.htm

What is the meaning of the parables of fasting at the wedding feast, the old cloth, and the wineskins? | GotQuestions.org

Why don't Christians fast the same as Muslims? | GotQuestions.org

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Fasting: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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