The Meaning of Fasting

For the next two weeks we will be re-posting some prior episodes before returning to new content. Today, we discuss the tradition of fasting, dating back to pre-Christian Judaism. This helps us better understand why Jesus was questioned by the disciples of John as to His disciples not fasting. Jesus’ response, together with Isaiah 58, shows that the true purpose of fasting is not to make ourselves hungry, but to relieve the hunger in others and to relieve their burdens. Jesus shows how the most religious people are too often focused on their own self-righteousness rather than this biblical meaning of fasting.