Dr Paul Allen

When we think about rewards, we often think of getting what we deserve. We work in such a way to get a reward that corresponds to our effort. But the reward Jesus is referring to is not meritorious. Fasting does not put God in our debt. It is not a technique that puts us in good standing with God. God offers, as a gift, the satisfaction of our desires—desires that are ultimately for him. David explains this reward further in Psalm 63. He begins the psalm by saying to the Lord,          O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;             my soul thirsts for you;          my flesh faints for you,             as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (v. 1) David has developed a hunger, an appetite for God. He goes on,          So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,             beholding your power and glory...

Fasting was a widespread religious practice in the time of Jesus. In fact, Mark 2 shows us that when Jesus and his disciples feasted instead of fasting, they drew some questioning looks. How could such a great religious teacher not take part in such a sacred discipline when other devout Jewish figures committed themselves so faithfully to fasting? When Jesus answered the crowd’s challenges, he provided a new lens, a New Covenant lens, to make sense of the proper purpose and the appropriate time for fasting.  Fasting is “voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes.” 1  While there are instances in the Old Testament of fasting to gain wisdom (e.g.,  2 Chron 20:3 ), the primary theme surrounding the practice was mourning, and especially mourning  over sin  ( 1 Sam 7:6 ;  Jonah 3:5–10 ;  Joel 2:15 ;  Ezra 10:6 ).  2  For instance, the Old Testament commanded only one mandatory fast, and that on the Day of Atonement ( Lev 23:27...