But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is telling us to approach fasting not as a performance, but as a private encounter with God. By continuing normal, cheerful practices like anointing and washing, you signal that your sorrow or discipline is internal and directed to Him, not a show for others. This highlights that true worship is about an authentic heart before God, not outward displays of piety.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is teaching his disciples about authentic spiritual practice, contrasting genuine devotion with hypocritical outward displays. Following his instruction on giving and praying secretly, he now addresses fasting, explaining that its purpose is between a person and God, not for public recognition. Therefore, when fasting, one should maintain their normal appearance rather than looking mournful to impress others.
Jesus is talking about fasting, a discipline many people used to show off their piety. But Jesus flips the script entirely. What's the real goal of spiritual disciplines?
Jesus is contrasting true, heartfelt devotion with the outward show of hypocrisy. The religious leaders of the day would intentionally look miserable when they fasted to draw attention to themselves. They'd disfigure their faces, wear sackcloth, and generally act gloomy, hoping everyone would notice their 'sacrifice.'
Jesus says, 'No, that's not how you do it.' Instead of making a spectacle, he instructs his followers to maintain their normal appearance: anoint your head (like you would on any normal day) and wash your face. The point isn't to look like you're suffering, but to be focused on God. The Father sees what's hidden, not just what's on display.
Anointing your head and washing your face were normal, pleasant daily activities. Why would Jesus tell people to do these while fasting?
In Jesus' day, the Jewish traditions had strict rules that forbade anointing and washing on fast days. These were considered acts of joy and refreshment, and therefore inappropriate for times of mourning or penitence. The hypocrites would deliberately avoid these things to look somber.
Jesus, however, flips this. He says, 'anoint your head and wash your face.' This wasn't about faking happiness, but about a deeper truth: true fasting isn't about outward gloom. It's about an inner spiritual discipline that can coexist with a sense of peace and even underlying joy in God's presence. It means your spiritual discipline shouldn't make you miserable or outwardly sorrowful; rather, it should be a private, personal encounter with God, free from the need for external validation. The outward actions were signs of joy, and Jesus is saying, don't let your fasting the potential for inner joy in God.
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Jesus was addressing a cultural context where fasting, intended as a sign of repentance, was often performed with outward displays that drew attention to the person, not God. By telling his disciples to anoint their heads and wash their faces, Jesus was instructing them to fast in a way that was inwardly focused and unseen by others, thus avoiding hypocrisy and seeking God's reward alone.
c. 2nd century BC - 1st century AD
Development of Jewish Fasting Traditions
The Jewish tradition, particularly influenced by the Pharisees, developed stricter rules around fasting. Certain acts like washing and anointing were forbidden on fast days, intended to outwardly signal mourning and repentance.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus Teaches on Hypocrisy
Jesus frequently confronted the religious hypocrisy of his day, where outward shows of piety often masked a lack of inner sincerity. This context fuels his teachings on authentic devotion.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus Delivers the Sermon on the Mount
During his public ministry, Jesus delivered this foundational teaching to his disciples, covering a wide range of ethical and spiritual principles for living as part of God's kingdom.
This passage shows anointing as a normal part of preparing oneself, contrasting with the idea of fasting as a reason to neglect personal care and appear unkempt.
Ecclesiastes 9:8The verse connects joyful living and proper attire ('let your garments be white,' and 'anoint your head with oil') with pleasing God, reinforcing Jesus' point that inner devotion, not outward gloom, is key.
Psalm 35:13This verse describes fasting as an act of humbling oneself before God, demonstrating a focus on spiritual sincerity rather than on public perception of suffering.
Luke 18:11-12The Pharisee's public fasting and self-righteous display sharply contrast with Jesus' teaching here, highlighting the danger of performing religious acts to be seen by others.
barnesMatthew 6:17: "But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;"
But thou when thou fastest, anoint ... - That is, appear as you do daily. Do not assume any new appearance, or change your visage or dress. The Jews and all neighboring nations were much in the habit of washing and anointing their bodies. This washing was performed at every meal; and where it could be effected, the head, or other parts of the body, was daily anointed with sweet or olive oil. In a warm climate, ex…
pulpitMatthew 6:17: "But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;"
Verse 17. - But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face. If both these were, among the Jews, done daily, Christ's command would mean - make no external sign of fasting; dress and appear as usual. But as anointing, at least, cannot be proved to have been a daily habit (though expressly forbidden during the stricter kinds of fasts, see Schurer, II. 2:212), especially with the mixed classes who…
Jesus is telling us to approach fasting not as a performance, but as a private encounter with God. By continuing normal, cheerful practices like anointing and washing, you signal that your sorrow or discipline is internal and directed to Him, not a show for others. This highlights that true worship is about an authentic heart before God, not outward displays of piety.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about authentic spiritual practice, contrasting genuine devotion with hypocritical outward displays. Following his instruction on giving and praying secretly, he now addresses fasting, explaining that its purpose is between a person and God, not for public recognition. Therefore, when fasting, one should maintain their normal appearance rather than looking mournful to impress others.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about authentic spiritual practice, contrasting genuine devotion with hypocritical outward displays. Following his instruction on giving and praying secretly, he now addresses fasting, explaining that its purpose is between a person and God, not for public recognition. Therefore, when fasting, one should maintain their normal appearance rather than looking mournful to impress others.
"But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face," — Jesus is telling us to approach fasting not as a performance, but as a private encounter with God. By continuing normal, cheerful practices like anointing and washing, you signal that your sorrow or…
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Last reviewed October 2026