Matthew 6:17 tells disciples what to do when they fast: keep it private instead of making it visible to others. Jesus says that when you fast, you should not show the outward signs that people use to advertise self-denial, such as a sad face. The words are spoken by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount, addressed to his disciples and the crowds listening on the hillside in Galilee.
But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face…
Matthew 6:17 (WEB)
What Matthew 6:17 Means
The verse is a direct instruction. “When you fast” assumes fasting is a normal part of the disciple’s life, not an optional extra. “Anoint your head, and wash your face” describes ordinary grooming, the kind of care a person would give on any other day. Jesus is asking his followers to look like they are not fasting at all, so that the fast stays between them and God.
The verse does not say fasting is wrong or that it should be dropped. It does not promise that a hidden fast will be noticed or rewarded by people, and it does not set a rule about how long a fast must last or what food must be given up. It addresses the posture of the heart: the reason for the fast, and who the person hopes to impress.
The Context of Matthew 6:17
Matthew’s Gospel was written for a community of Jewish Christians, probably in the later first century, and it is traditionally attributed to the apostle Matthew. Chapters 5 through 7 form the Sermon on the Mount, a sustained teaching on what life in God’s kingdom looks like. Verse 17 sits in a passage about the inner life: giving to the needy in secret (verses 1 to 4), praying in private (verses 5 to 15), and fasting without display (verses 16 to 18).
Just before the verse, Jesus warns against the hypocrites who disfigure their faces so others will admire their piety. Just after, he says the Father who sees in secret will reward the one who fasts in secret. Read in that frame, Matthew 6:17 is not a tip about hygiene. It is the practical side of a larger point: God’s approval is what matters, and performance for people is a poor substitute.
Key Phrases in Matthew 6:17
Matthew 6:18
So that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
(WEB)
This verse finishes the thought of Matthew 6:17 by stating the purpose of a hidden fast: that the Father who sees in secret will reward it. It shows that the reward Jesus has in view is a relationship with God, not public praise.
Isaiah 58:6
“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
(WEB)
The prophet Isaiah rebukes people who fast while continuing to oppress others, showing that God cares about the heart and the justice behind a fast. It reinforces that fasting is meant to draw a person closer to God and to others, not to win notice.
A Short Prayer From Matthew 6:17
Lord, you see what I do when no one is watching, and you know the motives behind my quiet choices. When I fast or give up something for your sake, help me keep it between you and me. Remove any desire to be admired, and let my heart be drawn toward you alone. Thank you that you reward faithfulness in ways I may not see. Amen.
