Early Christian Beliefs About Fasting
Early Christians taught that fasting should be humble, prayerful, and tied to repentance and mercy. Hermas, Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions all connect fasting with turning to God. Bible passages like Matthew 6, Mark 9, and Joel 2 help explain why fasting mattered. The main question was not whether Christians should fast, but how they should fast well.
114 early-church witnesses · 179 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about fasting?
Early Christian writings teach that fasting was a normal Christian practice, but it was meant to be humble, prayerful, and tied to repentance, not showy or self-righteous. Writers like Hermas, Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions connect fasting with prayer, forgiveness, repentance, and mercy. The Bible passages most often used are Matthew 6, Mark 9, Joel 2, and related texts about fasting with mourning and humility.
The evidence is broad and strong for fasting as part of Christian devotion, but it is mixed on exact rules, like which days to fast or how strict those fasts should be. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians treated fasting as a normal part of prayer and repentance.
- They warned against fasting for show or hypocrisy.
- Some writers also linked fasting with almsgiving, mourning for sin, and care for others.
- The exact fasting schedule was not the same in every early text.
Questions Answered by the Sources
What did early Christians think fasting was for?
The sources present fasting as a spiritual practice joined to prayer, repentance, mourning, and humility before God. Several writers treat it as something meant to help a believer seek God rightly rather than as a merely bodily exercise.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them.
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Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching
...phet and says, “And now, thus says the Lord your God, Turn even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; and tear your heart, and not your garments, and return to the Lord your God; for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repents of the evil appointed,” Joel 2:12-13. In the Psalms also, we read both the rebuke and the mercy of God. He threatens while at the same time He spares. He punishes so that He may correct, and when He has corrected, He preserves. “I will visit,” He says, “their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving-kindness I will not utterly take from them.”
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
Let us appease His wrath and indignation with fastings, with weeping, with mourning, as He Himself admonishes us.
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Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Supporting witness
For with fasting and humiliation she entreated the everlasting God, who seeth all things;
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
...ho keeps these words from our brothers deceives those miserable people, so that those who, by truly repenting, might satisfy God, both as Father and as merciful, by their prayers and works, are misled more deeply to their destruction; and those who might have raised themselves up fall more deeply. For although, in lesser sins, sinners may do penance for a set time, and according to the rules of discipline come to public confession, and by the laying on of the hands of the bishop and clergy receive the right of communion, now, before their time is fulfilled, while persecution is still raging, while the peace of the Church itself is not yet restored, they are admitted to communion, and their name is presented. While the penitence has not yet been completed, confession has not yet been made, and the hands of the bishop and clergy have not yet been laid on them, the Eucharist is given to them, although it is written, "Whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord," 1 Corinthians 11:27.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
...l, and You turn from the evils of men. You, O Lord, according to Your great goodness, have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against You, and in Your infinite mercy have appointed repentance to sinners, that they may be saved. You therefore, O Lord, the God of the just, have not appointed repentance for the just, as for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who have not sinned against You; but You have appointed repentance for me, who am a sinner. For I have sinned beyond the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied; my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to look up and see the height of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquity. I am bowed down with many iron bands, for I have provoked Your wrath and done evil before You, setting up abominations and multiplying offenses. Now therefore I bow the knee of my heart, begging for Your grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge my iniquities. Therefore I humbly beg You, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and do not destroy me with my iniquities. Do not be angry with me forever by reserving evil for me, nor condemn me to the lower parts of the earth
More related quotations from this section 8 shown
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Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness
... at the usual time and in the usual way, evening came upon us as we stayed there, and we were still fasting. Thus we felt the pressure of two of the hardest things men have to endure, namely, fasting and lack of sleep. But about midnight sleep, enviously and at the wrong time, crept upon us. With our necks drooping and unstrung, and our heads hanging down, it made our faces strike against our knees. Now this happened because the time was at hand when, by the judgment of God, we were to pay the penalty proper to our deserts, whether we were offenders in ignorance, or whether, with the consciousness of wrong, we still had not given up our sin. Accordingly, at that hour a multitude of soldiers suddenly surrounded us, supposing, as I judge, that we had lodged ourselves there in ambush, and that we were people with full experience and skill in fighting battles. And without making any exact inquiry into the cause of our gathering there, they threatened us with war, not in word, but at once by the sword. And though we were men who had never learned to do injury to anyone, they wounded us pitilessly with their missiles, thrust us through with their spears, and cut our throats with their
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Tertullian, On Fasting Supporting witness
For repentance for sins had sufficiently commended the fast, keeping it up in a space of three days, starving out even the cattle with which God was not angry.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
Therefore, O bishop, judge with authority like God, yet receive those who repent, for God is a God of mercy. Rebuke those who sin. Warn those who have not turned back. Encourage those who stand firm to continue in their goodness. Receive those who repent, for the Lord God has promised with an oath to grant forgiveness to those who repent for the wrong things they have done. For He says through Ezekiel: "Speak to them, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'I do not desire the death of a sinner, but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live. Therefore turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?'" Ezekiel 33:11. Here the word gives hope to sinners, so that if they repent, they will have hope of salvation. Otherwise, out of despair, they might give themselves over to their transgressions. But having hope of salvation, they may be converted, and may pray to God with tears because of their sins, and may repent from their hearts, and so calm His displeasure toward them. Then they will receive pardon from Him, as from a merciful Father.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
... of being an apostle and preacher of the word. And Zacchaeus, whom the Lord received because of his repentance and his prayers to Him, was also at first a tax collector in the same way. Besides this, even the soldiers and the crowd of tax collectors who came to hear the Lord's word about repentance heard this from the prophet John after he had baptized them: "Do nothing more than what is appointed for you." Luke 3:13 In the same way, life is not denied to the Gentiles if they repent and cast away their unbelief. Therefore, regard everyone who is convicted of any wicked action and has not repented as a tax collector or a Gentile. But if he afterward repents and turns from his error, then, just as we receive the Gentiles, when they wish to repent, into the Church indeed to hear the word, but do not receive them to communion until they have received the seal of baptism and are made complete Christians, so we also permit such people to enter only to hear, until they show the fruit of repentance. This is so that by hearing the word they may not utterly and beyond recovery perish. But let them not be admitted to communion in prayer, and let them leave after the reading of the law, the
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
...Why do they keep those who ought to weep continually and plead with their Lord from the grieving of repentance, and pretend to receive them into communion? This is the same for the lapsed as hail is to crops, as a violent storm-star is to trees, as the destruction of plague is to herds, as a raging tempest is to ships. They take away the comfort of eternal hope. They overturn the tree from its roots. They spread a deadly contagion with their poisonous words. They dash the ship against the rocks so that it cannot reach the harbor. Such easiness does not grant peace, but takes it away. It does not give communion, but keeps people from salvation. This is another persecution and another temptation, by which the crafty enemy attacks the lapsed still more, assaulting them by a hidden corruption, so that their lament may be silenced, their grief may be silent, the memory of their sin may pass away, the groaning of their heart may be held back, and the weeping of their eyes may be quenched. In this way, long and full penitence does not beg the Lord, so grievously offended, for mercy, although it is written, "Remember from where you have fallen, and repent." Revelation 2:5
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
Joel 2:12 Let us return to the Lord with our whole heart.
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Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Background
While fasting and sitting on a certain mountain, and giving thanks to the Lord for all His dealings with me, I see the Shepherd sitting down beside me, and saying, Why have you come hither [so] early in the morning?
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Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Background
...et since they escaped the notice of their persecutors by doing this, let a penalty of six months of penance be imposed on them. For in this way they will profit more, by meditating on the prophet's words and saying, "To us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called the Messenger of My mighty counsel." Isaiah 9:6 As you know, before His coming, another infant, in the sixth month of his conception, preached repentance for the remission of sins, Luke 1:76-77 and He Himself also was conceived to preach repentance. Moreover, we hear that both also preach, first of all, not only repentance, but also the kingdom of heaven, which, as we have learned, is within us. Luke 17:21 For the word that we believe is near us, in our mouth and in our heart. Being reminded of this, they will learn to confess with their mouths that Jesus is the Christ, believing in their heart that God has raised Him from the dead, and being like those who hear, that with the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. Romans 10:8-10
Did early Christians connect fasting with prayer?
The evidence repeatedly pairs fasting with prayer. Some sources present fasting as strengthening prayer, while others describe Christians fasting and praying together for repentance, healing, or a particular need.
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Tertullian, On Fasting Direct teaching
For in regard to fasts, they set against us the specific days appointed by God. For example, in Leviticus, the Lord commands Moses that the tenth day of the seventh month is a day of atonement, saying, “Holy shall that day be to you, and you shall afflict your souls; and every soul that has not been afflicted on that day shall be cut off from his people.” In the Gospel, they also think that the days definitely appointed for fasts are those in which the Bridegroom was taken away, and that these are now the only lawful days for Christian fasts, since the legal and prophetical antiquities have been abolished. For wherever it suits their wishes, they recognize the meaning of “the Law and the prophets until John.” Accordingly, they think that, with regard to the future, fasting was to be observed without fixed rule under the New Discipline, as a matter of choice, not of command, according to the times and needs of each person. They also think that this was the practice of the apostles, since they imposed no other yoke of fixed fasts to be observed by all in general, nor similarly of Stations either. These, they think, also have their own days, the fourth and sixth days of the week, but
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness
... from the time of our Lord's resurrection, those who until then have been humbling their souls with fasting ought at once to begin their festival joy and gladness. But in what you wrote to me, you showed very clearly, and with an intelligent understanding of the Holy Scriptures, that they do not seem to give any exact statement of the hour when He rose. For the Evangelists describe differently the people who came one after another to the tomb, and all declare that they found the Lord already risen. Matthew says it was at the end of the Sabbath. John writes that it was early, while it was still dark. Luke says it was very early in the morning. Mark tells us it was very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun. So no one has shown us clearly the exact time when He rose. It is admitted, however, that those who came to the tomb at the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, found that He was no longer lying in it. And let us not suppose that the Evangelists disagree or contradict one another. Even if there seems to be some small difficulty in the matter we are asking about, they all agree that the Light of the world, our Lord, rose on that one
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness
But if there are any who not only decline such protracted fasting, but refuse at the first to fast at all, and rather indulge themselves luxuriously during the first four days, and then when they reach the last two days — viz., the preparation and the Sabbath— fast with due rigour during these, and these alone, and think that they do something grand and brilliant if they hold out till the morning, I cannot think that they have gone through the time on equal terms with those who have been practising the same during several days before.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
Some time afterwards, if he says that he repents, mortify him with fastings, and afterwards you shall lay your hands upon him and receive him, but still securing him, that he does not disturb anybody a second time.
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Tertullian, On Prayer Supporting witness
Matthew 6:16-18 for now, by abstinence from the kiss, we are known to be fasting.
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Tertullian, On Fasting Supporting witness
foreseeing even then that other apostles and prophets would sanction fasts, and would preach observances of special service to God.
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness
And to those who have laboured painfully through these protracted fasts, and have thereafter become exhausted and nearly undone, pardon ought to be extended if they are somewhat precipitate in taking food.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
Of the Great Week, and on What Account They Enjoin Us to Fast on Wednesday and Friday.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
for even the Lord, when He was first baptized by John, and abode in the wilderness, did afterward fast forty days and forty nights.
More related quotations from this section 4 shown
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness
but some pass even all the days as a fast, remaining without food through the whole;
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Didache, Connection to Luke 5:35 Background
for the Lord says somewhere, speaking of Himself: "When the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, in those days shall they fast."
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Archelaus, Connection to Matthew 4:2 Background
and here, my Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness when He was tempted of the devil, and fasted in like manner forty days.
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Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Background
but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.
Common Questions
Did early Christians think fasting mattered?
Yes. They linked fasting with prayer, repentance, and asking God for help.
Did early Christians warn against the wrong kind of fasting?
Yes. Matthew 6 and Barnabas warn against showy or empty fasting, and Clement ties true fasting to turning from evil.
Was fasting only about food?
No. Several early writers also connected fasting with avoiding sin, giving alms, and humbling the heart.
Source Index for Fasting
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 145 ranked source links from 179 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 145 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 114
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
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Unknown, Unknown Work
Bible Passages 65 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
