Brief Musings on Fasting

Fasting in the Scriptures

• Fasting was often paired with churchly gathering (Joel 2) and also feasting. (1 Sam 16; 1 Ki 21)
• Fasting, as a discipline, is an assumed practice by our Lord: “When you fast,” He says. (Mt 6)
• Paul says that there is physical discipline of the body. (1 Cor 9)
• Only God’s Law has final value against the indulgence of the flesh. (Col 2)

Fasting in the Earliest Fathers

• The Didache (c. AD 70– AD 140) indicates that Christians held station days (Wednesday, Friday) in distinction from the Jewish station days (Monday, Thursday). (Didache 8)
  • Station days are specific scheduled days appointed for fasting.
  • Wednesday is tied to Judas’ betrayal of Christ on account of his greed, Friday to the death of our Lord.
• Tertullian (c. AD 115– AD 220) also mentions “eating of dry food” (xerphagia, ξηροφαγία), where fasting was paired with abstaining from certain foods once the fast was broken at evening. (Tertullian, On Fasting)
  • Alcohol, meat, dairy, sweets, and even succulent fruits were avoided during xerophagia—anything that smacked of feasting. The roots of Lenten fasting and abstinence.

Fasting in the Lutheran Confessions

• [Our teachers] teach that every Christian ought to train and subdue himself with bodily restraints, or bodily exercises and labors. Then neither over-indulgence nor laziness may tempt him to sin. But they do not teach that we may merit grace or make satisfaction for sins by such exercises. [34] Such outward discipline ought to be taught at all || times, not only on a few set days. [35] Christ commands, “Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness” (Luke 21:34). [36] Also in Matthew 17:21, “This kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.” [37] Paul also says, “I discipline my body and keep it under control” (1 Corinthians 9:27). [38] Here he clearly shows that he was keeping his body under control, not to merit forgiveness of sins by that discipline, but to keep his body in subjection and prepared for spiritual things, for carrying out the duties of his calling. [39] Therefore, we do not condemn fasting in itself [Isaiah 58:3–7], but the traditions that require certain days and certain meats, with peril of conscience, as though such works were a necessary service. (AP XXVI § 33–39)

Fasting Today

• Modern fasting is often perceived as only medicinal: used before medical procedures or surgery.
• Modern fasting is often perceived as dietary: used for supposed health benefits of intermittent fasting.
  • Neither of these relate substantively to the Biblical practice but only relate in outward from, namely, not eating.
• Fasting (not eating) is not the same as but related to abstaining (not eating certain things).
  • “Giving up something for Lent” is NOT a Lenten Fast but rather a Lenten Abstaining.

Musings

Fasting is not eating. Of course, people may drink! Traditions around what or what not to drink are another matter.

The matter of fasting is a touchy one. For one, many protestants ignore the Biblical passages and traditions within their own heritage, chocking fasting up to being a Roman Catholic (or even Orthodox) practice. It’s also a touchy subject due to our obsession with medicine, science, diet, and weight. Medical conditions are one thing. Gluttony is another. And on its face fasting does fly in the face of our western proclivity to gluttony.

Be that as it may, I leave to Medical Doctors and Dietitians whether or not the benefits and science behind intermittent fasting are legitimate. When it comes to the Biblical fasts, they are not about losing weight. (Though one might.) You can speak of a good dietary fast but a bad traditional Christian fast. You can also have a good Christian fast and a bad dietary or medicinal one. Thus, intermittent fasting is not the same thing as the practice assumed by Christ and Paul in the Scriptures (Mt 6; 1 Cor 9).

Fasting in the Christian sense, is seen as a discipline, along with the true curb—God’s Law—that seeks to the flesh and its desires in check. Fasting confesses that our god is not our belly (Phil 4) and that we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Mt 4) Moreover, this is also confessed by the Eucharistic Fast, where the Christian would not eat before receiving the Sacrament of the Altar.

Fasting can be used as a self-preaching. The hunger pangs preach that “dust you are and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3), but they also preach more. The hunger pangs of the first Christian station day (Wednesday) preach a warning against our flesh, which has many base desires, for it was on that day that Judas’ Greed caused him to betray his Lord, and yet Christ suffered Himself to be betrayed for your sake and mine. The pangs of the second Christian station day (Friday) preach that Christ himself empty Himself, becoming obedient unto death even death on a cross. (Phil 2)

In Lent (and Ember Days), which have an increase in fasting and abstaining, there is, by fasting, both time and means to engage in Prayer and Alms. (This is true also of the standard station days.) The time saved from preparing and eating food allows for prayer. The money saved creates a way to have extra to give to those in need—alms.

There is a great benefit in maintaining the dichotomy of fasting and feasting! If everything is a feast with no fast. If every meal is a feast, then no meal is a feast. Feasting without fasting results often in gluttony, avarice, waste. Fasting without feasting results in misery, wasting away, and even death. Fasts with no feasts is despair; feasts with no fasts is emptiness.

Not all can fast, due to youth, old age, illness, or women who are nursing, pregnant, or could become pregnant. For such there remains the practice of abstinence from certain foods. Abstinence, also preaches the same things as fasting.

Finally, no matter the fast “when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Mt 6) You may also have to practice some Christian kindness and hospitality: eating whatever is set before you. (1 Cor 10) After all, “He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.” (Rom 14) “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10)