Short answer: In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus teaches that fasting should be a private act of devotion to God, not a public display for human approval. Hypocrites who fast for recognition receive no reward from God, but those who fast sincerely, seeking God alone, will be rewarded by Him. Fasting is about humility and intimacy with God, not outward appearances.
Jesus contrasts hypocritical and genuine fasting
Jesus addresses fasting right after teaching on prayer and forgiveness, showing that these spiritual practices belong together. His warning targets religious showmanship, people who deliberately look miserable while fasting so others will admire their devotion. The word “disfigure” suggests they may have neglected basic hygiene or even rubbed ashes on their faces to appear extra spiritual. Jesus bluntly says such performers “have received their reward,” meaning human applause replaces any approval from God. The issue isn’t fasting itself but corrupting a holy habit into a tool for self-promotion.
True fasting, Jesus says, should look ordinary to outsiders. Washing your face and anointing your head were normal daily routines, the opposite of drawing attention to deprivation. The point isn’t deception but redirecting focus, your fast is between you and God, not a performance for spectators. Jesus assumes his followers will fast but insists it’s worthless if done for human praise. The Father’s approval comes to those who seek him “in secret,” a theme running through this sermon. Spiritual disciplines turn toxic when we care more about appearing righteous than being righteous.
This passage links to Jesus’ broader theme of heavenly versus earthly rewards. Just as hypocrites trade eternal things for temporary admiration, later verses warn against storing treasures on earth. Fasting rightly directs our hunger toward God, but misused, it feeds pride. Jesus doesn’t give rules on frequency or methods, only the principle: don’t let piety become a mask. The warning is urgent, religious acts can actually distance us from God if done for the wrong audience. The alternative is stunning: the unseen Father sees, knows, and responds to secret faithfulness with lasting reward.
Fasting is about God, not appearances
In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus critiques fasting done for show. He warns against mimicking the hypocrites who “disfigure their faces” to make their fasting obvious. This exaggerated behavior, like looking gloomy or unkempt, is designed to draw attention and win admiration. Jesus calls this hollow because it seeks applause from people, not God. When fasting becomes a performance, it loses its spiritual purpose. The focus shifts from honoring God to impressing others. Jesus reminds us that such actions have a reward, but it’s shallow and fleeting, the approval of others instead of the deeper connection with God that fasting is meant to foster.
Instead of drawing attention, Jesus instructs his followers to fast discreetly. He says, “Anoint your head and wash your face,” maintaining a normal appearance so others won’t notice the fast. This isn’t about hiding faith but about redirecting focus. Fasting isn’t a badge of honor or a tool for gaining social status. It’s a private act of devotion, meant to deepen our relationship with God. By avoiding outward displays, we guard against pride and self-righteousness, ensuring that our motives remain pure and our hearts fixed on God rather than human approval.
The heart of fasting, Jesus explains, is seeking God in secret. He promises, “Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” This reward isn’t a transactional benefit but a deeper spiritual connection. Fasting isn’t a way to manipulate God or guarantee specific outcomes. It’s about aligning our hearts with God’s will and acknowledging our dependence on Him. When we fast with humility and sincerity, God sees and honors our devotion. This passage calls us to examine our motives: Are we fasting to be seen by others or to draw near to God? The true reward lies in the unseen, intimate work God does in our hearts.
Fasting is for God's eyes, not human applause
Jesus warns against turning fasting into performance. Religious hypocrites in his day would deliberately look miserable, disfiguring their faces with ashes or neglecting hygiene, to signal their piety to others. Their goal was admiration, not intimacy with God. Jesus bluntly says they got exactly what they wanted: human approval, which becomes their only reward. The problem isn’t fasting itself but corrupting it into theater. When spiritual practices become about reputation rather than relationship, they lose their purpose. Fasting is meant to humble us before God, not elevate us before people.
The alternative is startlingly ordinary: wash your face, groom yourself, and go about your day. Jesus isn’t against physical discomfort in fasting but against using discomfort as advertisement. His instruction to “anoint your head” suggests normal hygiene, not the unkempt look of a mourner. The difference isn’t in the stomach but in the heart, whether we seek an audience of One or a crowd. This matches Jesus’ earlier teaching on prayer (6:5–6) and forgiveness (6:14–15): what happens in secret with God matters more than public displays. Fasting, like all devotion, is measured by authenticity, not visibility.
God rewards what others never see. Jesus repeats the pattern from his teaching on prayer: the Father who sees in secret will respond. This isn’t about earning favor through fasting but about posturing our hearts to receive from God. The reward isn’t named, perhaps deeper dependence, clearer guidance, or spiritual breakthrough, but it’s tied to God’s initiative, not our manipulation. The very next verses (6:19–20) contrast earthly and heavenly treasures, implying fasting aligns us with eternal priorities. When done quietly, fasting shifts our focus from temporary hunger to lasting sustenance, from human recognition to divine connection.
The heart of fasting matters more than outward appearances
In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus warns against fasting for show. He criticizes hypocrites who disfigure their faces to draw attention to their fasting. Their goal is human approval, not God’s. Jesus says they’ve already received their reward: the admiration they sought. This reveals a key principle: fasting isn’t about outward displays but inward sincerity. When our focus shifts to how others perceive us, we miss the point. Fasting is meant to deepen our relationship with God, not elevate our status among people. The danger lies in turning a spiritual discipline into a performance, which undermines its purpose.
Jesus contrasts this with how his followers should fast. Instead of drawing attention to themselves, they’re to anoint their heads and wash their faces, maintaining a normal appearance. The goal is to keep their fasting private, seen only by God. This doesn’t mean fasting must always be secret, but it emphasizes the heart’s posture. Fasting is not about earning praise or proving piety; it’s about seeking God in humility. By focusing on God rather than human approval, we align our hearts with the true purpose of fasting: communion with our Father.
The passage also highlights God’s response to sincere fasting. Jesus assures us that the Father, who sees in secret, will reward those who fast with the right motives. This promise isn’t about earning favor through fasting but about God’s faithfulness to those who seek Him wholeheartedly. The reward isn’t defined, reminding us that fasting isn’t a tool to manipulate God for specific outcomes. Instead, it’s a spiritual discipline that draws us closer to Him. The text doesn’t prescribe when or how often to fast but calls us to approach fasting with sincerity and a Godward focus.
Fasting as devotion, not performance
In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus warns against fasting for show. He criticizes hypocrites who disfigure their faces to make their fasting obvious. Their goal is to impress others, and Jesus says they’ve already received their reward, human applause. This highlights a key issue: fasting can easily become a performance rather than a genuine spiritual practice. Jesus redirects our focus from outward appearances to the heart. He teaches that fasting is not about gaining recognition or proving spiritual superiority but about cultivating a private, authentic connection with God. The gospel reminds us that God’s favor isn’t earned through religious acts but received freely in Christ.
Jesus gives practical instructions for fasting: anoint your head and wash your face so others won’t notice. This isn’t about hiding fasting but about avoiding pride. By keeping it private, we protect our motives and ensure our focus remains on God, not on human approval. Jesus emphasizes that the Father sees what is done in secret and will reward it. This shifts fasting from a public spectacle to a personal act of devotion. It’s not a tool to manipulate God but a way to express dependence and love for Him, grounded in the grace we already have through Jesus.
Jesus’ teaching on fasting reflects His authority to redefine religious practices around Himself. In Matthew 4:2, He fasted during His temptation, showing its role in spiritual dependence. Here, He calls us to fast not to earn God’s favor but to deepen our relationship with Him. The gospel frees us from the pressure to prove ourselves through religious acts. Instead, fasting becomes a response to God’s grace, a way to seek Him more fully. It’s not about earning rewards but about aligning our hearts with His, trusting that He sees and values our sincere devotion, even when no one else does.
Fasting as hidden fellowship with God
Jesus warns against turning fasting into performance. Religious leaders of his day made sure others noticed their discomfort, disfiguring their faces to broadcast their sacrifice. But theater like this turns spiritual discipline into social currency. Jesus says such people “have received their reward” (Matthew 6:16), the temporary admiration of others, not the lasting approval of God. When we fast to impress people, we trade eternal things for fleeting recognition. The issue isn’t whether others know we’re fasting, but whether we’re doing it to be seen. Even subtle hints about our sacrifice can shift the focus from God to ourselves.
Positive instructions follow the warning: “Anoint your head and wash your face” (Matthew 6:17). These were normal acts of self-care, not signs of deprivation. Jesus isn’t commanding deception but redirecting our posture, fasting isn’t about appearing holy before others but being present with God. The early church practiced this when Anna served in the temple “with fastings” (Luke 2:37) without fanfare. For us, this might mean skipping lunch to pray but still joining coworkers for coffee, or giving up media without announcing it. The discipline happens in secret; the fruit may become visible in time.
God sees and honors what others don’t.: Your Father who is in secret. will reward you (Matthew 6:18) reassures us that hidden devotion matters. This isn’t about earning forgiveness or blessings, the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) already established our dependence on grace. Rather, fasting creates space to hunger for God himself. A student might fast from social media to sit with Scripture; a parent might skip a meal to intercede for a child. The reward isn’t always tangible answers but deepened trust. Unlike public displays, secret fasting guards us from self-righteousness and keeps our eyes on the Father.
Biblical fidelity check
This passage warns against reading fasting as performance. Jesus critiques religious leaders who “disfigure their faces” to signal their piety (6:16), exposing the temptation to turn spiritual discipline into social currency. The text doesn't legislate fasting methods but targets motives: “that they may be seen by men” (6:16) versus being: seen by your Father who is in secret (6:18). Some assume fasting is obligatory since Jesus says “when you fast” (6:16–17), but the grammar permits either expectation or example, the central call is resisting hypocrisy, not enforcing a schedule.
The real tension lies in whether fasting is inherently meritorious. Jesus neither condemns the practice nor treats it as a guaranteed path to blessing. His contrast between “seen by men” and: seen by your Father (6:18) reframes fasting as relational, an act of trust, not leverage. The passage stays neutral on techniques (duration, food types) to focus on the heart's direction. What remains central is this: spiritual disciplines are worthless if performed for spectators, but transformative when offered secretly to the Father who “sees in secret” (6:18).
Where Matthew 6:16-18 connects to the rest of Scripture
For further study, explore Matthew 1: Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Jesus’ teachings on prayer, Matthew 10: Jesus Sends the Twelve with Authority the role of humility in discipleship, Matthew 12: Lord of the Sabbath and Sign of Jonah the importance of sincerity in worship, and Matthew 13: Parables of the Kingdom how to cultivate a deeper relationship with God.
Frequently asked questions
What does Jesus say about fasting?
Jesus warns against fasting for public recognition, as hypocrites do. Instead, He teaches that fasting should be a private act of devotion to God, done with humility and sincerity. Those who fast in secret will be rewarded by God.
How should Christians fast according to the Bible?
Christians should fast privately, focusing on their relationship with God rather than seeking human approval. Jesus instructs believers to wash their faces and anoint their heads, avoiding outward signs of fasting that draw attention to themselves.
Why is fasting supposed to be private?
Fasting is meant to be private because it is an act of devotion to God, not a performance for others. Jesus emphasizes that fasting done in secret is seen by God, who rewards sincere humility and intimacy with Him.
