What did the Apostolic Fathers Teach about Fasting?
In this season of Lent, I am currently reading through Esau McCaulley’s new book on the subject. It’s been a great read so far, and I recommend it to those interested. While reading through the book and reflecting on Lent, I’ve realized how consistently Scripture mentions fasting, and yet doesn’t give a lot of detail to it.
There are a few times the practice of fasting is discussed in detail, particularly, what a fast is supposed to be in God’s sight. (Isaiah 58, Matthew 6:16-18) But I find it interesting how a discipline like fasting is seen in God’s followers throughout history while Scripture itself gives it a fairly vague description.
Looking at the Apostolic Fathers, we see a similar pattern. Fasting isn’t mentioned a ton, but when it is, we see it follows what Scripture has to say about the practice, and it is clear that it was an important discipline to the early Church.
1. Humility and Self-Sacrifice
1st Clement
As Clement of Rome scopes over examples of people in the Old Testament who allowed jealousy to influence them, he also looks over positive examples of people to imitate. To counter the sinful influence of jealousy, Clement suggests humility is the key, and after listing multiple saints throughout Israel’s history who humbly obeyed God, he ultimately looks to Jesus Christ as the primary example to follow.
Two people from the Old Testament Clement cites to imitate in humility are Moses and Esther. (1st Clement 53.2, 55.6) These two examples are where Clement mentions fasting. Both times fasting is mentioned, Clement adds that Moses and Esther were humbled in their fasting:
“Esther also, being perfect in faith, exposed herself to no less danger, in order to deliver the twelve tribes of Israel from impending destruction.
For with fasting and humiliation she entreated the everlasting God, who sees all things; and He, perceiving the humility of her spirit, delivered the people for whose sake she had encountered peril.”
2nd Clement
In giving advice to a congregation on what steps they should take in repentance, the Preacher states in 2nd Clement 16.4a, “Therefore charitable giving is good; so too is repentance from sin. Fasting is better than prayer, but charitable giving is better than both.” (Brannan, 2017, Pg. 67)
Charitable giving being tied to fasting was actually a common Jewish tradition which the early Church continued. (Janicki, 2017, Pg. 296) This quote from 2nd Clement also has similarities to a passage from the Deuterocanonical book of Tobit (12:8-9). Charitable giving is a center theme in Tobit, and it has been suggested that the Preacher in 2nd Clement may have this passage in mind. (Varner, 2020, Pg. 161)
Tying prayer, fasting, and charitable giving is not unique in regards to repentance. What is unique is that 2nd Clement states that fasting is better than prayer, and that charitable giving is better than both!
There are different ways to interpret this, but here’s my simple take. The heart of prayer is to be in communion with God. Fasting and charitable giving in of themselves do not connect us with God. But with a sincere, repentant heart, they are personal sacrifices to humble our hearts and see God through the fog of our comfort and distractions.
In addition to the sacrificial part of it, a sincere act of giving to those in need show our devotion to God by loving our neighbor. They are also acts of responding to God’s mercy. By God’s grace, we are saved, and show our faith through our works. (Luke 19:8-9, James 2:26)
2. Fasting by Pursuing Justice
In addition to charitable giving, pursuing God’s justice is also seen as an action to naturally come alongside fasting. If we are failing to love our neighbor and instead oppress others, our fasting toward God is in vain. We see this in the prophet Isaiah:
“Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast, and oppress all your workers. You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today, hoping to make your voice heard on high.
Will the fast I choose be like this: a day for a person to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?
Isn’t this the fast I choose: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will appear like the dawn, and your recovery will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the LORD’s glory will be your rear guard.”
The Epistle of Barnabas
This passage from Isaiah is referenced in Barnabas 3.1-6. Although the author’s quotation isn’t word for word, it seems they are using a Greek manuscript of Isaiah or a Christian tradition that paraphrases the passage. (Lookadoo, 2022, Pg. 197) Regardless of the minor differences, Barnabas conveys the main point of the passage the same as the prophet Isaiah.
3. Fasting beyond the bare Minimum
The Shepherd of Hermas
Hermas is where we are going to find the most content regarding fasting in the Apostolic Fathers. In Vision 3, Hermas is told to pray in fasting and humility, a similar attitude taught in 1st Clement. Hermas also narrates multiple times throughout the story that he is given divine revelation after spending extensive time in fasting and prayer.
The main portion on fasting in Hermas is found in Similitude 5, where the angelic Shepherd gives a parable to Hermas to understand God’s will for fasting.
“Hear the similitude which I am about to narrate to you relative to fasting:
A certain man had a field and many slaves, and he planted a certain part of the field with a vineyard, and selecting a faithful and beloved and much valued slave, he called him, and said, ‘Take this vineyard which I have planted, and stake it until I come, and do nothing else to the vineyard; and attend to this order of mine, and you shall receive your freedom from me.’
And the master of the slave departed to a foreign country. And when he had gone, the slave took and staked the vineyard; and when he had finished the staking of the vines, he saw that the vineyard was full of weeds. He then reflected, saying, ‘I have kept this order of my master: I will dig up the rest of this vineyard, and it will be more beautiful when dug up; and being free of weeds, it will yield more fruit, not being choked by them.’”
The Shepherd continues the parable by describing how happy the master is upon returning, seeing how his slave went above and beyond what was required. To reward him, not only does the master free the slave after publicly honoring him, but he even makes the former slave a fellow heir alongside the master’s son.
In celebration of this, the freed man has a feast with the family, but remembers his fellow slaves still working the fields, and saves some food to help feed them. Upon seeing this, the master is impressed again by the man’s selfless serving.
After sharing the parable, the Shepherd elaborates on how it connects to fasting. Hermas learns that followers of God go beyond the bare minimum of what they are called, remembering to love God with all their heart in word, thought, and action. Like the slave in the parable who remembers the other slaves, Hermas also learns that in fasting we remember our neighbors and care for them.
“Having fulfilled what is written, in the day on which you fast you will taste nothing but bread and water; and having reckoned up the price of the dishes of that day which you intended to have eaten, you will give it to a widow, or an orphan, or to some person in want, and thus you will exhibit humility of the mind, so that he who has received benefit from your humility may fill his own soul, and pray for you to the Lord.”
4. Fasting as Followers of Christ is set apart from other Traditions
The Didache
Last, we look briefly at the Didache. There are two primary instructions the Church manual gives on fasting: fast separately from Jewish leaders who reject Jesus, and fast before baptism. In Didache 8.1, Christians are instructed to not fast on Monday and Thursday, as “the hypocrites do”. Rather, Christians are to fast on Wednesday and Friday.
First, it is important to note these instructions are related to communal fasting as a congregation, not an individualistic discipline of piety. Second, in regards to who the “hypocrites” are, the evidence seems to be most likely referring to rabbinic Judaism. It seems it was important to the early Church to practice their faith separately from rabbinic Judaism, including the traditions of fasting. (Wilhite, 2019, Pg. 202)
Later Christian writings would explain that Wednesday and Friday were specifically picked as the days to fast in connection to the Passion of Christ. Wednesday was when Jesus was betrayed, and Friday was when Jesus was executed. (Janicki, 2017, Pg. 310)
Conclusion
Broadly going over the references to fasting in the Apostolic Fathers, we see instructions and a theology that fit with Scripture, and was also adapted to focus on their newfound faith in Jesus, the fulfillment of Scripture. May we do the same.
“I am intentional about my fasts now. It’s not about finding the biggest possible sacrifice. It’s about examining the idols in myself and discerning the best way to tear them down.” -Esau MacCaulley (2022, Pg. 33)
Bibliography
Schaff, P. (2016). The Complete Ante-Nicene, Nicene, and Post-Nicene Collection of Early Church Fathers. Toronto, Canada.
Brannan, R. (2017). The Apostolic Fathers: A New Translation. Bellingham, WA. Lexham Press.
Janicki, T. (2017). The Way of Life: The Rediscovered Teachings of the Twelve Jewish Apostles to the Gentiles. Marshfield, Missouri. Vine of David.
Varner, W. (2020). Second Clement: An Introductory Commentary. Eugene, OR. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Lookadoo, J. (2022). The Epistle of Barnabas: A Commentary. Eugene, OR. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Wilhite, S.J. (2019). The Didache: A Commentary. Eugene, OR. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
McCaulley, E. (2022). Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal. Downers Grove, IL. InterVarsity Press.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.