If you will read Mark 2:18,1918And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. (Mark 2:18‑19), you will find how Jesus came to sneak of His disciples as the children of the bridechamber. John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. But the disciples of Jesus did not fast. So they came to Jesus and asked, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Thy disciples fast not?” Then we get the answer of Jesus: “Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”
When a marriage is to take place, people do not think it a time for fasting, but rather feasting. Now Jesus had come as the Bridegroom of Israel, and the disciples were His near friends—the children of the bridechamber. The time for Israel’s blessing was come, if they would receive Christ, and the disciples had tasted the blessing. The blessing was going on in the works of healing, and in the preaching of Jesus. Many were receiving blessing, and were being filled with joy. This was not the occasion for fasting. The disciples of Jesus could not fast amid such joy.
But it would not be always so. Jesus, the Bridegroom of Israel, would be rejected and put to death, and then the children of the bridechamber would be filled with sorrow. While Jesus was with them they were full of joy, and looked for Him to establish His throne in Israel. When He was crucified this hope was taken away, and then came sorrow and fasting.
But may we not learn a lesson from this Scripture about fasting? Jesus did not say the Pharisees did wrong to fast. And we may be quite sure. John and his disciples did right to fast, and also the disciples of Jesus when He was taken from them. Why, then, should not Christians now also fast? Have any of you ever fasted? Have you ever thought about it? Are there not times now when Christians would do well to fast? In fasting we express our dependence on God, as we do also in prayer. It is also an expression of our sorrow, and of our humbling ourselves before God when there is a wrong state of things. In fasting also we are made to feel our own weakness and helplessness, while we appeal to the goodness and mercy of God who alone can help us.
In Matt. 6:16-1816Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:16‑18), Jesus gives instructions how to fast. It is not to be a mere show of piety. We are not too fast to be seen of men, but too fast for the eye of God. And we may be sure He will take notice. “Thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
We might fast for a day, or longer, without taking any food at all; but God would not have us injure our bodies, and so we may fast without abstaining altogether from food. We find (Dan. 10) that Daniel fasted and mourned three whole weeks. He took some food during that time, but he did not take any flesh, or wine, or pleasant food. He was mourning over the condition of Israel, and longed to get God’s mind about that guilty people. And when he fasted and prayed, God revealed His mind to him.
Again I would ask, have we no good reasons for fasting now? Do we not see evil and failure and sin in the people of God now? And is not this an occasion to mourn and fast? Do we not see multitudes of sinners all around us, hardening themselves against the gospel, and going to destruction? And does not this, too, call for prayer and fasting? I have heard of a servant of the Lord who fasted on Saturdays, in view of preaching the gospel to sinners on the Lord’s day, and whose preaching was greatly owned of God in the conversion of souls. We find also in the Acts that Christians fasted in connection with the Lord’s work. See Acts 13:1-41Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. (Acts 13:1‑4) and 14:23. Have these Scriptures no voice for us now? You who are Christians, and especially you who are older think of this. If you have any great burden take it to God with fasting and prayer and see if He will not answer you. Indeed I am quite sure He will if you do this in faith. His faithfulness has been often proved and never known to fail. But He would have us take our right place before Him—the place of dependence expressed in prayer; and fasting may often be the fitting accompaniment of prayer. “This kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting.” Matt. 17:2121Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:21).
ML 10/28/1900