Matthew 6:17 · Bible study
Matthew 6:17 Commentary: Fasting Without Hypocrisy
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus instructs believers to fast in secret, maintaining normal appearance. This study examines the meaning of anointing and washing during fasting.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus instructs believers to maintain ordinary appearance during fasting, concealing the practice from others so that it remains between the believer and God.
- Key words:aleipsai (anoint yourself) and nipsai (wash yourself), aorist middle imperatives that command personal, everyday grooming; nēsteuōn (fasting) carries the sense of religious abstinence from food.
- Main debate: Whether this passage requires literal anointing with oil today, or whether the principle of appearing normal is what applies. Most commentators favor the principle.
- Theological theme: The hidden life of discipleship, righteousness practiced before God, not for human approval, is the true mark of faith.
- Best use: Teaching on motivation in spiritual disciplines; correcting hypocrisy or showiness in piety; encouraging private devotion rooted in God’s approval.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
WEB World English Bible 2000
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
KJV King James Version 1769
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`But thou, fasting, anoint thy head, and wash thy face,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But thou, [when] fasting, anoint thy head and wash thy face,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face;
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas tú, cuando ayunas, unge tu cabeza y lava tu rostro;
Porém tu, quando jejuares, unge a tua cabeça e lava o teu rosto,
Mais quand tu jeûnes, parfume ta tête et lave ton visage,
Wenn du aber fastest, so salbe dein Haupt und wasche dein Angesicht,
Maar gij, als gij vast, zalft uw hoofd, en wast uw aangezicht;
Ma tu, quando digiuni, ungiti il capo e làvati la faccia,
Ale ty, gdy pościsz, namaż głowę twoję, i umyj twarz twoję,
А ты, когда постишься, помажь голову твою и умой лице твое,
你 禁食的時候，要梳 頭 洗 臉，
But when you go without food, put oil on your head and make your face clean;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 6:17
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the central point: Jesus does not forbid fasting, but redirects its purpose. The instruction to anoint the head and wash the face is a command to maintain ordinary appearance. Adam Clarke puts it plainly: “dress in thy ordinary manner,” directing devotion toward God rather than display. Barnes notes that anointing was a daily practice in the warm climate, and that Jesus wants the fasting believer to “appear as you do daily.” Gill adds that Christ commends “cheerfulness” and a normal use of life’s provisions, directly opposite to the Jewish custom of omitting washing and anointing on fast days. The Greek verb forms aleipsai (anoint yourself) and nipsai (wash yourself) are middle imperatives, personal actions the believer performs, not for public effect, but as ordinary self-care. The consistent point is that fasting, like prayer and almsgiving in the surrounding passage, should be a matter between the believer and God, not a performance for human approval.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus commands believers to fast without changing their normal appearance, so that the practice remains known only to God, who sees in secret.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Physical appearance during fasting | Believers should not seek attention through their appearance when fasting. The heart of the command is humility before God. | Some traditions interpret the anointing and washing as a literal requirement for fasting; others see it as a cultural example of the principle 'appear normal.' Both aim at avoiding ostentation. |
| Secret versus corporate fasting | Fasting is ultimately between the believer and God. Even when done corporately, the motive must be devotion to God, not display to others. | Christians differ on how much publicity is appropriate for a church-wide fast, whether it should be announced from the pulpit or coordinated privately. |
| The nature of the reward | God rewards those who sincerely fast without seeking human praise. The reward comes from the Father. | Some understand the reward as God’s immediate spiritual blessing and answered prayer; others point to an eschatological, future reward (e.g., the kingdom). Both views see the reward as God’s good gift. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Judaism, fasting was a common spiritual discipline, observed both publicly (national fasts like the Day of Atonement) and privately (individuals fasting one or two days per week). The Mishnah explicitly forbade washing and anointing on fast days (Yoma 8:1; Taanith 1:4, 6, as cited by Gill). These restrictions were intended as outward signs of humility and grief before God. The hypocrites Jesus condemns took this further, “disfiguring their faces”, likely by rubbing on ashes or neglecting hygiene, to make their fasting obvious.
Jesus’ command to “anoint your head and wash your face” deliberately breaks with these customs. In the ancient Near East, anointing with oil was an everyday practice for hygiene and comfort, especially in a dry, hot climate (Barnes). It was also associated with joy and celebration: Ruth anointed herself before approaching Boaz (Ruth 3:3); David washed and anointed himself after his son’s death, signaling the end of mourning (2 Samuel 12:20). Ecclesiastes 9:8 says “let your head lack no oil” as part of enjoying life. Conversely, Daniel’s mourning included not anointing himself (Daniel 10:2, 3). Thus, by instructing believers to appear as usual, Jesus removes the external markers of fasting, making it a private matter between the soul and God.
This teaching sits within Matthew 6, where Jesus redefines the three pillars of Jewish piety (almsgiving, prayer, fasting). For each, the pattern is the same: do not practice your righteousness before people to be seen. The hypocrites have already received their reward, human applause. The true disciple seeks the Father who “sees in secret.” The anointing and washing are not additional spiritual practices but simply ordinary life, ensuring that the fast is known only to God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 6:17. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts. In verse 1 of this chapter, some manuscripts read δικαιοσύνην (righteousness) instead of ἐλεημοσύνην (alms), but for verse 17 the wording is undisputed.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been cited to emphasize the private nature of fasting. Early monastic writers (like John Cassian) urged that fasting be hidden from others, drawing on this text. The medieval Church upheld fasting as a discipline but struggled with its misuse as penance for public show. Reformers such as Calvin and Luther critiqued the notion of fasting as a meritorious work, appealing to Jesus’ insistence on the heart’s posture before God. In modern evangelical and Pentecostal traditions, the verse is a standard warning against religious performance, especially in contexts where fasting might be boasted about. Across traditions, the core insight remains: your Father who sees in secret is the only audience that matters.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Danger of Hypocrisy. Fasting can become a performance. The hypocrites used external disfigurement to signal their piety (v.16). Jesus warns against this by calling them “hypocrites”, actors playing a role.
- The Call to Normalcy. Anointing and washing are everyday actions that conceal the fast. The command is to appear as you do daily. Faithfulness is found in the ordinary, not the dramatic.
- The Secret Reward. The Father who sees in secret rewards openly. The focus shifts from human approval to divine relationship. God’s notice is the only one that matters.
Five-point outline
- Fasting is assumed. Jesus says “when you fast,” not “if.” It is a normal part of discipleship (Matthew 9:15; Acts 13:2-3).
- Avoid the hypocrite’s method. Do not disfigure your face or dress differently to attract attention.
- Maintain ordinary appearance. Anoint your head, wash your face, carry on with normal routines. This is the concrete instruction of v.17.
- Fast for an audience of One. The fast is for the Father “who is in secret,” not for the eyes of others.
- Trust the hidden reward. God’s approval is sufficient and will be made known in His time.
Illustration hooks
- A person at work who quietly skips lunch to pray, but says nothing about it, contrasted with someone who posts their spiritual disciplines online for recognition.
- Parents who serve others generously but never mention it at family gatherings; their example trains children to seek God’s approval, not people’s praise.
- The difference between mourning a loss and performing grief: someone who weeps openly versus someone who does the same private acts of prayer and fasting, trusting God alone.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Is it wrong to tell anyone I am fasting? What about when a church announces a corporate fast?”
- “How do I avoid the trap of seeking admiration when I share a testimony about God’s work in my life?”
- “What does ‘secret reward’ mean, is it a blessing now or in heaven?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges us to examine our motives in spiritual disciplines. Fasting, like giving and praying, can be twisted into a tool for status. Jesus offers a way forward: keep it between you and God. As you discuss, consider where you are tempted to make your faith visible for the wrong reasons.
Discussion questions
- Why does Jesus spend so much time teaching about fasting (vv.16-18) if it is a private practice?
- What does it mean that the hypocrites “disfigure their faces” to be seen fasting? How might that take shape in our context today?
- The verbs “anoint” and “wash” are middle imperatives, actions you do for yourself. Why is the personal, hidden nature of fasting emphasized here?
- How do the cross-references (Ruth 3:3, 2 Samuel 12:20, Daniel 10:2-3) help us understand the significance of anointing and washing as signs of normal life?
- How can corporate fasting (when a whole church fasts together) be practiced without falling into the hypocrisy Jesus condemns?
- What are some “rewards” you have already received from fasting that had nothing to do with human recognition?
- How does this passage free you from comparing your spiritual life with others?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ruth 3:3 | Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor; but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. |
| II Samuel 12:20 | Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into Yahweh’s house, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him and he ate. |
| II Samuel 14:2 | Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil; but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead. |
| Ecclesiastes 9:8 | Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil. |
| Daniel 10:2 | In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks. |
| Daniel 10:3 | I ate no pleasant food. No meat or wine came into my mouth. I didn’t anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that daily anointing with oil was a common practice for health and comfort. Jesus commands fasting without any outward change in appearance or dress, so the focus remains on genuine sorrow for sin before God, not on attracting human notice. God alone sees and rewards such fasting.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face,
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill contrasts the Jewish practice of fasting with Christ's teaching. He emphasizes that true fasting is not mere outward abstinence from food but abstaining from sin with confession and trust in God's pardon. Christ's command to anoint and wash directly opposes Jewish rules that forbade these signs of cheerfulness on fast days, pointing to inward repentance rather than external display.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB explains that anointing the head and washing the face were normal daily practices for Jews, set aside only during mourning. Christ's command here is simply to appear as usual, so that fasting does not draw attention.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats fasting not as a virtue in itself but as a means to prepare the heart for prayer and other spiritual duties. He stresses that Christ here speaks of private, voluntary fasts, not public spectacle, and laments that this self-denying practice, once common among devout believers, is now largely neglected.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that anointing the head was an ordinary Jewish custom, not a special or religious act. His point is that the instruction simply means to go about daily life as usual, maintaining normal appearance and routine.