Why did Jesus fast during the 40 days of temptation?

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OLAADEGBU:
Why did Jesus fast during the 40 days of temptation?

I though the temptation was at the near end of his 40 days fasting??

esere826:


H I though the temptation was at the near end of his 40 days fasting??

The fact was that the relentless temptation was during Jesus' 40 days of fasting. The question is: Why did Jesus have to fast in the first place?

OLAADEGBU:

Why did Jesus fast for 40 days?


Some ideas

1) With regards to symbolism which I am no fan of
- Moses spent 40 years in Midian away from the lush pleasantness of Egypt unknowingly preparing for his task
-Moses spent 40 days up the Sinai neither eating nor drinking while receiving the 'law' on stone
-The journey of the israelites from Egypt took them 40 years in the wilderness

Perhaps Jesus in his own 40 days had the oppurtunity to meditatively write a newer law thereby fulfilling what was written
"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts"

2) this is what I believe happened
The spirit drove Jesus to the wilderness under harsh conditions to wean him away from his comfort zone and give him a new sense of direction
Humans tend to continue doing what they've been doing until something catastrophic happens to change their direction of action
much like the earth will always rotate around the sun except an asteroid knocks it off to another galaxy

Towards the end of his meditative fast, he was burning with desire for what his goal was, plus he was very hungry
So Satan came with the 3 things that Jesus desired - miracle Food for his immediate needs; jewish public acceptance laced with miracles; and the world based on service.

OLAADEGBU:


Why did Jesus fast during the 40 days of temptation?

Suggested answer:

Fasting is a practice found throughout Scripture. A fast in the Bible is usually a voluntary, total abstinence from food for a set time for the purpose of devoting oneself to seeking God. Fasting denies our flesh what it wants so that we can focus more clearly on strengthening our spirits.

It doesn't seem that Jesus fasted often. In fact, His critics condemned Him for "eating and drinking" (Matthew 11:19). There is only one recorded instance in Scripture of Jesus fasting. This fast immediately followed His baptism (Matthew 3:13), which inaugurated Jesus' public ministry. Matthew 4:1 says that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights. During that time of fasting, Jesus was repeatedly tempted by the devil. This testing time prepared Him for the three-year ministry that would change the world.

During those forty days, when Jesus' flesh was at its weakest, He endured relentless temptation from Satan. Satan offered Him alternatives to God's plan, compromises that would satisfy His natural desires, and attacks upon His very identity as the Son of God (Matthew 4:3). Jesus used the Word of God, not His own strength, to defeat those temptations and remain victorious over sin. He demonstrated for us that fasting can strengthen us spiritually when we use it to draw closer to God.

After Jesus' fast, the devil left Him and "angels came and attended him" (Matthew 4:11). Luke 4:14 concludes the account of this testing time by saying, "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit." He had conquered temptation and was ready to embrace the purpose for which the Father had sent Him. He would not rely on His humanity to perform miracles, deliver the oppressed, or defeat death. Fasting was a way to declare mastery over His human nature so that He would live every moment directed by the "power of the Spirit" (Luke 10:21). He set the example for us who "are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit" (Romans 8:9). If the Son of God did not rely on His flesh to live in obedience to God, then we can't either.

http://www.gotquestions.org/why-did-Jesus-fast.html

OLAADEGBU:


Suggested answer:

http://www.gotquestions.org/why-did-Jesus-fast.html

Are you confused? You asked a question and answered it yourself. Oh, sons of men!

OLAADEGBU:


Suggested answer:

I doubt Jesus Christ fasted only once. when he was asked why his disciples don't fast, he wasn't generalized with them.

because only mortals fast

OLAADEGBU:
Why did Jesus fast during the 40 days of temptation?

Because he's a human being.