But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Fasting — going without food for a period as a way of focusing on prayer and drawing closer to God — was a common spiritual practice in Jewish culture. In Jesus's time, some people made a point of looking visibly miserable when they fasted, so others would notice and admire their dedication. Jesus addresses this directly in Matthew 6:16-18, the surrounding verses. When he says to put oil on your head and wash your face, he is describing the normal grooming habits of the day — essentially telling people to look ordinary. His point is that the purpose of fasting is genuine intimacy with God, not a performance of piety for an audience.
Father, forgive me for the times I have performed my faith instead of lived it. Teach me to seek your face without looking for anyone else's approval. Let what happens between you and me in private be more than enough. Amen.
There is a peculiar temptation to make your spiritual suffering visible. When you have been praying hard, fasting, carrying something heavy with God — part of you wants credit for it. Maybe not dramatically, just a small signal: the tired look, the heavy sigh, the vague mention that you have been really wrestling lately. Jesus sees this tendency clearly and addresses it with striking specificity. Wash your face. Put oil on your head. Don't let your spiritual life become a performance. This is actually a deeply freeing instruction. It means your relationship with God doesn't have to be on display to be real. The most significant spiritual moments of your life might be completely invisible to everyone around you — and that's not only okay, it's the point. What would it look like to do something for God this week that no one else will ever know about? Not because secrecy is holier, but because when the audience disappears, what remains is just you and God. And that's exactly where transformation happens.
What did fasting mean in the Jewish culture of Jesus's time, and why do you think Jesus assumed his followers would practice it?
Have you ever caught yourself wanting others to notice your spiritual effort or struggle? What do you think was underneath that desire?
Jesus seems to suggest that practices done in secret have a different quality than those done publicly. Do you agree with that, and why or why not?
How might making your spiritual struggles visible affect the people around you — and could that ever be a good thing, or is it always a form of performance?
Is there one spiritual practice — prayer, giving, fasting, serving — that you could do completely privately this week, without anyone knowing? What would you choose, and what would make it difficult?
But when you fast, put oil on your head [as you normally would to groom your hair] and wash your face
AMP
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
ESV
'But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face
NASB
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
NIV
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
NKJV
But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face.
NLT
If you 'go into training' inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face.
MSG