Matthew 6:17-18
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Jesus is flipping a common Jewish custom on its head: instead of fasting by looking sad and neglecting personal care, he says to wash and anoint yourself as usual. This subtle instruction highlights that true fasting isn't about putting on a show of suffering for others, but about an inner attitude of devotion directed towards God alone.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is teaching his followers about authentic piety, contrasting true devotion with the performative fasting of religious hypocrites. He's just condemned showing off good deeds like giving to the needy and praying, and he continues this theme by addressing fasting. He wants his disciples to fast not for human applause, but as a genuine act of repentance and humility before God, who sees all things.
Why would Jesus tell people to appear cheerful when they're fasting?
Jesus is challenging the idea that fasting should be a public spectacle. The Jewish traditions of the time actually forbade anointing and washing on fast days because these were seen as signs of joy and normal life. Hypocrites would deliberately disfigure themselves to look like they were suffering for God.
Jesus flips this. He says, when you fast, do the normal things – anoint your head, wash your face. Don't put on a show. Your fasting isn't for human approval; it's a private conversation between you and God. The point is not to look sad, but to be in a state of humble reliance before your Heavenly Father.
Is fasting about looking miserable, or something deeper?
The command to 'anoint your head and wash your face' is a radical counter-cultural statement. In many ancient contexts, anointing with oil was a common practice for health, refreshment, and even celebration. Washing was simply part of daily hygiene.
Jesus is saying that your spiritual discipline of fasting shouldn't require you to alter your basic appearance to signal outward distress. True godly sorrow and repentance aren't found in a mournful facade. Instead, they are internal realities that can coexist with the ordinary signs of well-being and hope. The focus shifts from external performance to internal disposition.
Understand the original words
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patēr · Greek Noun
Refers to God the Father, emphasizing the intimacy, authority, and covenant relationship between God and the believer, and His role as the ultimate provider and judge.
kryptō · Greek Adjective/Noun
Implies what is hidden, private, or not visible to the public eye; God operates in this sphere, observing the true heart and private devotions of His people.
Jesus' instruction to 'anoint your head and wash your face' directly contrasts with the strict Jewish traditions that forbade these acts of grooming and refreshment on fast days. His point was to reject the performative piety of the Pharisees, who used fasting to draw attention to themselves, and instead to encourage a sincere, private devotion focused on God.
c. 150 BC
Development of Oral Purity Laws
The Pharisees and other Jewish groups developed extensive oral traditions that elaborated on the Law, including specific regulations for fasting and purification. These traditions dictated how one should appear and behave during periods of religious observance.
Early 1st century AD
Pharisaic Fasting Practices
Pharisaic tradition encouraged frequent fasting (twice weekly for some) and emphasized outward displays of piety. This included disfiguring their faces or appearing unkempt to signal their devotion publicly.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and performing miracles throughout Galilee and Judea. His teachings often challenged the religious hypocrisy of the day.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount, a foundational discourse on Christian ethics and discipleship. This is where he instructs his followers on the proper way to practice religious disciplines like almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.
This passage shows anointing as a normal part of preparing oneself, similar to how Jesus instructs believers to maintain their usual grooming even when fasting, implying fasting shouldn't drastically alter one's outward appearance for show.
2 Samuel 12:20When David's child died, he stopped mourning, washed, and anointed himself, demonstrating that outward displays of grief are temporary, aligning with Jesus' teaching to not disfigure oneself when fasting.
Ecclesiastes 9:8This verse directly states that clothing should always be white and the head never without oil, which reflects the everyday practices Jesus refers to, contrasting with the somber, disheveled appearance of hypocrites.
Luke 18:12The Pharisee's fasting twice a week is contrasted with the publican's humility; Jesus here implicitly criticizes outward religious acts performed for recognition, similar to how he critiques hypocritical fasting in Matthew 6.
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 flipping a common Jewish custom on its head: instead of fasting by looking sad and neglecting personal care, he says to wash and anoint yourself as usual. This subtle instruction highlights that true fasting isn't about putting on a show of suffering for others, but about an inner attitude of devotion directed towards God alone.
Jesus is teaching his followers about authentic piety, contrasting true devotion with the performative fasting of religious hypocrites. He's just condemned showing off good deeds like giving to the needy and praying, and he continues this theme by addressing fasting. He wants his disciples to fast not for human applause, but as a genuine act of repentance and humility before God, who sees all things.
Jesus is teaching his followers about authentic piety, contrasting true devotion with the performative fasting of religious hypocrites. He's just condemned showing off good deeds like giving to the needy and praying, and he continues this theme by addressing fasting. He wants his disciples to fast not for human applause, but as a genuine act of repentance and humility before God, who sees all things.
"But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." — Jesus is flipping a common Jewish custom on its head: instead of fasting by looking sad and neglecting personal care, he says to wash and anoint yourself as usual. This subtle instruction highlights…
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Last reviewed October 2026
