Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 6:16-18

"Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee." — Matthew 6:16-18 (ASV)

And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. After specifying the manner of praying and giving alms, He now specifies the manner of fasting. First, He excludes the unsuitable manner of fasting, and second, He gives the right manner of fasting, where it is said, But thou, when thou fastest.

Regarding the first point, He does three things:

1. He teaches us to avoid the example of the hypocrites.
2. He shows their example, where it is said, For they disfigure their faces.
3. He gives the reason for His teaching, where it is said, Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

It is very fitting that after prayer He discusses fasting, because prayer is weak when not accompanied by fasting. Although prayer is “the raising up of the mind to God,” the more the flesh is strengthened, the more prayer is weakened. Prayer is good with fasting and alms more than to lay up treasures of gold . And everywhere it is read that when any solemn prayer took place, fasting was also mentioned: And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes (Daniel 9:3), and, Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly (Joel 2:15).

He says, therefore, And when you fast. Chrysostom says that He does not say ‘Do not be [sad]’ because it is impossible for those who fast not to experience feelings of sorrow, just as, conversely, people are made joyful by eating and drinking. But He says, Become not sad (Nolite fieri), meaning that you should not make an effort to appear outwardly sad, instead of inwardly sorrowing for your sins. For the sorrow that is according to God worketh penance, steadfast unto salvation: but the sorrow of the world worketh death (2 Corinthians 7:10), and, Give not up thy soul to sadness, and afflict not thyself in thy own counsel .

As the hypocrites, meaning [do not fast] with the same intention [as the hypocrites have]. Simulators who imitate the persona of a just man are called hypocrites, as was explained above. Since they become sad, He adds, They disfigure their faces.

Jerome says that these words, specifically they disfigure (exterminant), are used metaphorically here, though not in their primary sense, because ‘to disfigure’ (exterminare) properly means ‘to put outside the borders.’ Thus, it is derived from exiles (exulibus) of a state. For example, it is said, Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land (1 Kings 28:3, 9). Here, however, it is properly stated that they ‘destroy’ (demoliuntur) [their faces]. Alternatively, it can be explained that they disfigure their faces by presenting themselves in a way that is outside the ordinary manner. That they may appear unto men to fast. This is their aim, for A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when thou meetest him, is known by his countenance .

Observe here, according to Augustine, that glory is sought not only from an ostentatious display of clothing but also from coarseness of clothing. According to him, the latter is more dangerous. Deception through a display of fine clothing and similar things is less harmful because it can be recognized. However, when glory is sought from bodily squalor, it can be a danger because if such a person is not truly spiritual, they can easily lead others into error.

Nevertheless, Augustine says that such a man can be discerned by his other actions; for instance, if on one hand he professes to abandon the world and on the other hand he acquires riches, he is a simulator. But because some hypocrites use coarse clothing to hide their malice, should those who wear it for God’s sake abandon it? I answer that they should not, because, as the Gloss says, a sheep ought not to abandon its own skin even though a wolf sometimes covers himself with it.

Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. Here He gives the reason for His teaching. For it is foolishness to lose an eternal reward for human praise; I am thy reward exceeding great (Genesis 15:1).

But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face. Here the suitable manner of fasting is set forth. In this regard, He does three things: first, He presents the appropriate method; second, He provides the reason for it; and third, He explains its benefit.

Therefore, He says, But thou, when thou fastest. Something similar is written: At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oil depart from thy head . And here Augustine raises the question: although it is the custom among many people to wash their faces daily, anointing their heads is nevertheless considered indulgent. Does the Lord, therefore, intend this? Similarly, Chrysostom says that fasting ought to be done secretly. Yet, whenever we see someone anointed, we will conclude that they are fasting.

They answer these objections in three ways:

1. Jerome says (and I believe this is the most literal [exposition]) that it was a custom among Palestinians at that time for men to anoint their heads with oil and wash their faces daily. Thus, the woman in 2 Kings said, I, thy handmaid, have nothing in my house but a little oil, to anoint me (2 Kings 4:2). Thus, this custom was considered necessary. Therefore, the Lord means that one who fasts should not change their usual way of living, which includes anointing their head and washing their face.
2. According to Chrysostom, the Lord speaks by hyperbole, as He also said above, But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth (Matthew 6:3). Therefore [the meaning is], ‘If it is suitable, you should do the typical actions of hypocrites.’
3. Thirdly, according to Augustine and also Chrysostom, the Lord speaks by way of a similitude, and this exposition is mystical. By the head, two things are understood. First, The head of every man is Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3). Therefore, you anoint your Head when you show mercy to your neighbor: What you have done to one of these My least brethren, etc. (Matthew 25:40). Or, according to Augustine, the head of man is either the reason or the spirit, which is the man himself, as though He were to say, ‘You should afflict the flesh in such a way that the inner spirit is disciplined through devotion’; Though our outward man is corrupted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Our man, that is, our flesh, which is outward, that is, exposed to evils, is corrupted, yet the inward man, that is, the soul fortified with hope of a future [reward], which human fury cannot reach, is renewed day by day, that is, it is continually made purer through the fire of tribulation (2 Corinthians 11); Though our outward man is corrupted (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Now He says, Wash thy face, meaning one’s conscience. For just as someone is made pleasing to men on account of a comely face, so by a pure conscience one is made pleasing to God: He that loveth cleanness of heart (Proverbs 22:11), and, Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? (Isaiah 58:6). And He says, anoint thy head, and not, ‘wash [thy head],’ because Christ does not need washing, but our conscience does.

That thou appear not to men to fast. Here is the reason [for the suitable manner of fasting]. [This reason] should be understood in the context of individual fasting, not common or public fasting. But to thy Father who is in the secret of eternity; He is hid from the eyes of all living (Job 28:21). Or [He is] in the secret of our conscience, because God dwells in us by faith (Ephesians 3:17).

Will repay thee; Who will render to every man according to his works (Romans 2:6), and, The searcher of hearts and reins is God (Psalms 7:10).