Why did Jesus fast?

from the old testament

• People fasted in the Old Testament to repent for their sins against God. An example of this is the Ninevites fasting after hearing Jonah’s warning about pending destruction if they didn’t repent (Jonah 3:5-10). As Jesus was sinless, he didn’t use fasting for repentance.
• Another reason ancient people fasted was as a form of mourning, as when David and his men fasted to mourn the deaths of Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:12).
• Old Testament figures sometimes fasted when seeking God’s guidance (2 Chronicles 20:3-4; Ezra 8:21-23).

from the new testament

• Many believe that Jesus fasted often because of His forty-day fast in the desert. However, Scripture indicates that Jesus was criticized for "eating and drinking" (Matthew 11:19).
• The Holy Spirit prompted Jesus to fast and led Him into the wilderness for forty days and forty nights (Matthew 4:1–2). Though tempted by the Devil during that time, Jesus defeated Satan's temptations because He relied on God's Word and held tight to God's promises. This is a remarkable example of how Jesus prevailed over sin by finding power in the Word of God, not His own strength.
• Matthew 4:11 says that after Christ was tempted, "the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him." Jesus' fasting strengthened Him, not by relying on His humanity but by relying on God.
• Luke 4:14 confirms His strengthening by God, saying, "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit ..." This time of fasting and enduring temptation prepared Jesus for His three-year public ministry, in which He delivered the oppressed, performed miracles, and defeated death.
• Jesus lived every moment directed by the power of the Spirit (Luke 10:21-22), because it shows a mastery over His human nature. This encourages those who follow Christ, since Romans 8:9-10 indicates that we "are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness."

implications for today

Social media. Video games. News headlines. Netflix streams. Modern society is filled with distractions. So many distractions fill our days that we may think we’re living, only to one day realize that we’ve been in a stupor of diversions.

Fasting is one way people in ancient times regained focus. The Bible records people fasting to focus on God—seeking His guidance and strength. Believers today don’t often think of fasting as a way to focus on the Lord, but there’s really no reason not to. We can fast from food or ‘fast” from an activity that distracts us from spiritual development.

Fasting reminds us of how weak we are. If you’re asking, “Why would I want to be reminded about that?” 2 Corinthians 12:9b is a good reminder. Paul wrote, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Fasting can remind us of who we are and who God is.