6:16-18 What does it mean to fast and is it obligatory upon New Testament Christians to do so?

To fast means to voluntarily abstain from eating food for a certain period of time. Fasting was an Old Testament practice but Jesus did not stress it for New Testament Christians, although He sanctioned it (cp Mt 9:14-17).

Jesus told a parable of old and new cloth and wineskins in Mt 6:16-17 here in response to questioning by John the baptist’s disciples in Mt 6:14-15 as to why Jesus’ disciples did not follow the Old Testament religious practice of fasting. In His response Jesus includes fasting as part of the old Judaistic religious system which kept people under its law in bondage to sin. Jesus’ dynamic new teaching was not compatible with the teaching of the Law under the Old Covenant. His reference to new cloth and new wine was a way of saying the He did not come as a reformer to patch up an old worn-out religious system, but to replace it completely with a dynamic new teaching.

This is not teaching against fasting by New Testament Christians. Fasting was observed by the first century church (cp Acts 13:1-3; 14:21-23). But other than this, there is little to say about fasting in the New Testament. The only other fastings recorded are what Paul describes as part of his sufferings for Christ (cp 2Cor 6:5; 11:27). These fastings refer to lack of food, not voluntary abstinence from food.

The object of fasting in the Old Testament was to humble the soul before God (cp Psa 35:13); to crucify the appetite and deny it in order to enhance prayer, and to receive from God (cp 2Sam 12:15-17; Ezra 8:21-23). Fasting by voluntary abstinence from food is not obligatory upon New Testament Christians. Jesus sanctions it in Mt 6:16-18, but does not commend it. But there is a fast chosen by God that is obligatory upon New Testament Christians, and they must always be ready to do it (cp Isa 58:6-8 with Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15-18). See also comments on Mt 9:14-15, 9:16-17.

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