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o you fast? If so, do you fast for religious reasons or for better health?
A major part of the world includes Christians, Muslims and Hindus who
fast out of religious obligation or because they believe there is a special
spiritual benefit. For example, the Muslims believe that SIYAAM or fasting,
one of the five sacred pillars of Islam, grants special favor with Allah
in this life and in heaven. Today there are all kinds of fasts: juice
fasts, hygiene fasts, tissue cleansing fasts to name a few. Some of them
are expensive such as the tissue cleansing fast which can cost as much
as $314 per day. Saint Ephrem has even written hymns about fasting to
encourage you. Fasting has been around a long time. But for me, the idea
of actually fasting had not appealed to me until I asked, “Why
did Jesus say, ‘When you fast?’”
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast . . . (NKJV) Matthew 6:16-18 Religious Actors. Once more Jesus warns
His audience about living their spiritual lives like the Pharisees, Sadducees
and scribes. So far, He has shown us that they did not understand the
scriptures, and He has shown us that they pretended to be more spiritual
than they were. These religious leaders did “spiritual things” to
win the praise and admiration of the very people they were supposed to
be ministering to. How appalling! So Jesus has called them hypocrites
which really means actors. Or, if you please, they were like religious
clowns and Jesus is removing their makeup and costumes and revealing
their true hearts. In our passage this time, Jesus tells us they ONLY
want to think they are really suffering when they fast. They are not
really fasting. They are only acting! That is the meaning of a hypocrite.
Why does He call them actors? Jesus uses a play on words
in describing them. He says they “disfigure” their faces
to “figure” their faces. Sometimes during fasting, people
would put on sackcloth or ashes as a sign of their grief or significance.
Fasting caused one to become weak because the person went without food.
My knees are weak from fasting; And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness. (NASB) Ps. 109:24 Rarely did a fast include going without water such as in Esther 4:16.
So it is understandable that those who fast would feel weak and maybe
even look miserable.
So these religious leaders put on an act. They put on make-up
or made their faces look gloomy, sad, and mourning to impress others.
They wanted others to think they were enduring a stressing fast. They
were actors - to impress the lay people who probably regarded them as
holy and spiritual.
May I ask a question? Have you ever acted “spiritual” to
impress someone? In some way have you acted like the Pharisees did? Jesus
said they had their reward - the praise and respect of the people but
not God’s reward. We cannot escape. God knows who we really are.
Jesus is not condemning fasting but the heart that pretends to be something
it is not. Psalm 139:2 reminds us that God
. . . understand[s] my thought from afar. (NASB) Ps. 139:2 |
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| Sermon on the Mount | |||||
