Jesus says “when thou fastest” — He assumes His followers fast. The command targets display: instead of looking miserable to advertise devotion, wash your face and carry on normally, so the fast is between you and the Father who sees in secret and rewards openly.
Matthew 6:17 KJV“But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;”
Read Matthew 6 →
Jesus assumes His followers fast, and He commands that they do so without making their sacrifice visible for others to see. Fasting for an audience is not fasting — it is performance. This command asks whether your spiritual disciplines are genuinely between you and God, or whether some part of you needs others to know about them. Have you ever fasted in secret, where no one knew?
Fast in secret. When you do, anoint your head and wash your face so that no one knows. Look ordinary, refreshed, normal. Let the discipline be entirely between you and the Father. Do not hint, do not explain, do not let anyone suspect. Your Father who sees in secret is the only one who needs to know.
When you obey this command, your fasting becomes a private conversation known only to you and God. No desire for human recognition, no performance. This secret devotion deepens your relationship with the Father by making Him the sole audience and rewarder of your sacrifice. You learn to trust His unseen approval, and intimacy with Him replaces the need for public validation.
This is one of 69 direct commands of Jesus in the free Red Letter Challenge: All Commands of Jesus — The Living Sword
Read every Scripture in your chosen translation (WEB, KJV, Geneva, YLT, and more) at https://www.thelivingsword.org/red-letter-challenge/when-you-fast