MarieP
Puritan Board Senior
I was recently conversing with a sister, and the topic of fasting came up. She said she'd always wanted to hear fasting defined- does it always mean abstaining from food and water in the Scriptures? What light can be shed from the historical records outside the Scriptures (both Old and New Testment fasting?) This is not to get around fasting, but rather to know if there's a Scriptural warrant for saying, as some do, that fasting can be giving up the internet or TV for a time to spend in prayer and repentance. There are also those, like myself, who get hypoglycemic and fasting with food/water seems to counteract what is sought to be accomplished.
Also, she said that she doesn't believe that Jesus fasted with food and water in the wilderness, that it was giving up companionship with men to spend time alone- she says that if He fasted for that long, it would show the power of God and be a miracle, but the point of the wilderness was humiliation and trial, not demonstrating a miracle. Is this a tenable position? I mentioned that one of Satan's temptations was for Jesus to turn stones to bread, She said he was indeed hungry at that point, (as the verse prior says), but that fasting doens't necessarily mean not eating.
Also, she said that she doesn't believe that Jesus fasted with food and water in the wilderness, that it was giving up companionship with men to spend time alone- she says that if He fasted for that long, it would show the power of God and be a miracle, but the point of the wilderness was humiliation and trial, not demonstrating a miracle. Is this a tenable position? I mentioned that one of Satan's temptations was for Jesus to turn stones to bread, She said he was indeed hungry at that point, (as the verse prior says), but that fasting doens't necessarily mean not eating.