Short answer: In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus teaches that fasting is a private act of devotion to God, not a public performance. Hypocrites who fast for attention receive no spiritual reward. True fasting is seen by God, who rewards those who seek Him sincerely. The focus is on humility and devotion, not outward appearances.
The setting and purpose of Jesus' teaching on fasting
Jesus delivers this teaching on fasting during the Sermon on the Mount, a collection of instructions for His disciples about living in God’s kingdom. The Sermon contrasts genuine faith with outward religious performance, and fasting is no exception. Earlier, Jesus addresses prayer and forgiveness, emphasizing sincerity and humility before God. Fasting fits this context as another practice meant to draw hearts closer to God, not to impress others. The setting is crucial: Jesus speaks to disciples in a culture where fasting was a familiar spiritual discipline, but it had become a way to gain public approval rather than to seek God privately.
The literary shape of this passage highlights a sharp contrast between hypocrisy and authentic devotion. Jesus warns against imitating the hypocrites who disfigure their faces to make their fasting obvious. Their goal is to be seen and praised by others, and Jesus declares they’ve already received their reward, human approval. In contrast, He instructs His followers to fast discreetly, anointing their heads and washing their faces so they don’t appear to be fasting. This contrast underscores the importance of motives: fasting should be for God’s eyes alone, not for public recognition.
This teaching connects fasting to eternal priorities, setting the stage for Jesus’ later instruction about storing treasures in heaven. Fasting, like prayer and forgiveness, reflects a heart aligned with God’s kingdom, not worldly values. The warning against hypocrisy reminds disciples that spiritual practices are meaningless if done for show. Instead, fasting should be an expression of dependence on God, a private act of worship that He rewards. By framing fasting this way, Jesus redirects attention from outward appearances to inward sincerity, ensuring that His disciples understand the true purpose of this spiritual discipline.
How Jesus redefines fasting as secret worship
Jesus contrasts two ways to fast. Religious hypocrites put on a show, deliberately making their faces look haggard so others notice their sacrifice. The word “disfigure” suggests exaggeration, maybe smearing ashes, neglecting hygiene, or faking weakness. Their goal is clear: they want applause for their piety. But Jesus warns this backfires. The admiration they crave becomes their only reward, leaving nothing from God. This exposes the danger of turning spiritual discipline into performance. When fasting becomes about reputation, it loses its purpose as worship. The Father sees through the act and withholds the reward only he can give.
True fasting, Jesus says, looks completely different. Wash your face, groom your hair, and maintain normal appearances. The point isn’t deception but humility, refusing to let anyone know you’re fasting except God. The phrase “in secret” doesn’t mean hiding good deeds out of shame. It means redirecting attention from human approval to divine connection. Unlike the hypocrites who fasted to be seen, Jesus’ followers fast to see God more clearly. This shifts fasting from a public ritual to a private conversation with the Father who notices what others miss.
The promise of reward isn’t about earning God’s favor, it’s about receiving what only he can give. Hypocrites settle for temporary praise, but those who fast secretly gain lasting fellowship with God. Jesus assumes his followers will fast, but he strips it of superstition. It’s not a bargaining chip or a way to prove devotion. Fasting becomes an act of trust, a quiet “yes” to God’s presence over physical needs. The Father sees this sincerity and responds not because the act is impressive, but because the heart is open. The reward is God himself, meeting us in hidden places.
Fasting is for God's eyes, not human applause
Jesus warns against turning fasting into theater. Religious leaders in his day would deliberately look miserable when fasting, disfiguring their faces with ashes or neglecting hygiene, to signal their piety to others. But Jesus says such performers “have received their reward” (Matthew 6:16). Their goal was public admiration, and that’s all they get. The problem isn’t fasting itself but using it as a spiritual prop. This follows Jesus’ pattern in the Sermon on the Mount: he exposes religious acts hollowed out by self-interest. Even something as personal as hunger can become a tool for reputation if we redirect attention toward ourselves.
True fasting requires hiding it. Jesus tells his followers to wash their faces and anoint their heads, normal grooming that hides any outward sign of fasting (Matthew 6:17). This isn’t about deception but reorientation. When no one notices our sacrifice, we confront our real motives. Do we actually want God? The shift from public display to secret discipline protects fasting from becoming transactional. It mirrors Jesus’ teaching on prayer (6:5–6) and giving (6:2–4), where the Father’s approval matters more than human praise. The same God who sees in secret also rewards, not because we earned it, but because he loves to respond to genuine seeking.
This call to secret fasting fits Jesus’ larger point about treasure. Right after discussing fasting, he warns against stockpiling earthly wealth that fades (6:19–20). Both teachings refocus disciples on what lasts. A fast done for God stores up “treasure in heaven” more surely than any public act of devotion. The passage doesn’t command fasting but assumes it as a normal practice, one that must align with kingdom priorities. Whether we fast or not, Jesus’ challenge stands: will we settle for temporary approval, or live for the audience of “your Father who is in secret” (Matthew 6:18)?
How fasting reveals our hearts
In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus warns against fasting for show. He describes hypocrites who deliberately look miserable to gain attention, ensuring they get the praise they crave. Their reward is shallow, human admiration, not God’s approval. This exposes a deeper issue: fasting can easily become a performance, a way to impress others rather than draw near to God. Jesus’ critique isn’t just about outward behavior but about the heart. Are we seeking recognition or intimacy with God? The danger isn’t fasting itself but using it as a tool for self-promotion, turning a spiritual discipline into a stage.
Jesus contrasts this with genuine fasting: ‘But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face’ (Matthew 6:17). This isn’t about hiding fasting but about avoiding ostentation. Anointing and washing were normal acts of self-care, signaling that fasting isn’t an excuse to neglect life’s rhythms. The focus shifts from outward appearance to inward sincerity. Fasting becomes a private act of devotion, seen only by God. It’s not about proving piety but cultivating humility. This approach protects fasting from becoming a badge of spirituality and keeps it centered on God.
The promise of a Father who ‘sees in secret’ (Matthew 6:18) reassures us that fasting isn’t wasted. God doesn’t overlook our hidden acts of devotion. The reward isn’t specified, but it’s clear it comes from Him, not human applause. This underscores fasting’s purpose: to deepen our relationship with God, not to manipulate Him or earn His favor. It’s a reminder that spiritual disciplines are about posture, not performance. Whether fasting is commanded or voluntary, the text sets limits: it must be sincere, God-centered, and free from the desire for recognition.
Fasting with humility and sincerity
Jesus warns against fasting for show, describing how hypocrites disfigure their faces to gain attention. Their reward is fleeting, the admiration of others, but it misses the heart of fasting. This teaching reflects Jesus’ broader critique of religious hypocrisy, where outward acts mask inward emptiness. His words remind us that fasting is not a performance for human approval but a posture of humility before God. Jesus himself fasted in the wilderness, resisting the temptation to prove His identity or gain glory. His example shows that fasting is about dependence on God, not self-promotion or manipulation.
Jesus instructs His followers to fast discreetly, anointing their heads and washing their faces. This practical advice underscores the importance of maintaining normal appearances rather than drawing attention to oneself. The focus shifts from public recognition to private communion with God. This mirrors the gospel’s emphasis on hidden transformation, God works in the unseen places of the heart. Fasting, like prayer and giving, is meant to reflect sincere devotion, not a bid for status or favor. Jesus’ teaching invites us to examine our motives, ensuring our fasting aligns with His kingdom values of humility and integrity.
The promise in Matthew 6:18 is that God sees and rewards what is done in secret. This assurance redirects our attention from human approval to divine affirmation. Jesus’ teaching on fasting points to the gospel truth that our standing before God depends not on our works but on His grace. Fasting becomes a way to express our dependence on Him, not a means to earn His favor. In Christ, we are already fully loved and accepted. Our fasting, then, is a response to His grace, a way to draw closer to Him and align our hearts with His purposes in the world.
Jesus calls his followers to fast with quiet sincerity
Jesus warns against fasting like the religious show-offs who look miserable to prove their devotion. Their dramatic gestures, dirty faces, gloomy expressions, are just performances for applause. Jesus says they’ve already gotten what they wanted: human admiration. True fasting isn’t about convincing others of your spirituality. It’s a private turning toward God, not a public display. The hypocrites’ mistake wasn’t fasting itself but turning it into theater. When we fast to impress people, we trade eternal rewards for temporary nods of approval. Jesus expects his followers to do this spiritual discipline differently.
Instead of drawing attention, Jesus tells his disciples to groom themselves normally, washing their faces and anointing their heads. This isn’t hiding their fast but refusing to weaponize it. The focus stays on God, not their sacrifice. No one needs to know they’re fasting except the Father who sees in secret. The contrast is stark: public performers get human praise; private seekers get God’s attention. Jesus reassures them that unseen obedience doesn’t go unnoticed. Their Father sees and responds to what’s done in honest devotion, not for clout or comparison with others.
Fasting, like prayer and giving, is meant to recenter us on God’s priorities. It’s not a hunger strike to force God’s hand but a way to acknowledge our dependence. Skipping meals won’t make God owe us anything, that would turn fasting into a transaction. Instead, it clears distractions to seek him wholeheartedly. Ordinary believers might fast during times of grief, repentance, or big decisions, not to earn favor but to focus on the One who gives it freely. Jesus’ teaching frees us from performative religion and invites us into quiet trust. The reward isn’t in the spectacle but in the secret closeness with God.
Biblical fidelity check
This passage warns against reading fasting as performance. Jesus critiques religious showmanship, those who “disfigure their faces” to signal their piety (6:16). The interpretive risk is reducing fasting to a transactional act, as if gloomy appearances earn God’s favor. The text also resists over-spiritualizing the “reward” (6:18); it’s not about guaranteed blessings but the Father’s intimate recognition of hidden devotion. The call to “wash your face” (6:17) counters asceticism, emphasizing that fasting isn’t self-punishment but a reorientation toward God.
Disagreements center on whether fasting is obligatory. Some argue Jesus assumes its practice (“when you fast,” 6:16–17), while others note he critiques misuse, not mandates it. The central call isn’t frequency but sincerity: fasting is Godward, not for human approval. The reward isn’t quantified, whether present grace or future joy, but tied to the Father’s character as one who “sees in secret” (6:18). The passage prioritizes motive over method, rejecting performative religion while affirming private discipline that deepens dependence on God.
Where Matthew 6:16-18 connects to the rest of Scripture
To deepen your understanding of fasting, explore Matthew 1: Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Isaiah 58 on true fasting, Matthew 10: Jesus Sends the Twelve with Authority Acts 13:2–3 for examples in the early church, Matthew 12: Lord of the Sabbath and Sign of Jonah Luke 18:9–14 on humility, and Matthew 13: Parables of the Kingdom Psalm 51:17 on a contrite heart.
Frequently asked questions
Is fasting a command for Christians today?
Jesus does not command fasting in this passage but assumes it as a spiritual practice. Fasting is encouraged as a way to draw closer to God, but it is not presented as a mandatory requirement for all believers.
What should my attitude be when fasting?
When fasting, your attitude should be one of humility and sincerity. Jesus warns against using fasting to gain praise from others. Instead, focus on seeking God privately, as He sees and rewards genuine devotion.
Does fasting guarantee spiritual rewards?
Fasting does not guarantee specific spiritual rewards as if it were a transaction. Jesus emphasizes that God sees and rewards sincere fasting done in secret, but the reward is based on the heart’s posture, not the act itself.
