Why did Jesus fast for 40 days and 40 nights?

Question

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Answer 1

Jesus fasted for 40 days to make the devil knew that He was hungry so that the devil could tempt Him to turn stones into bread. Remember Jesus is sinless and has no weakness so He need not have to fast to bring His flesh down. The number 40 signifies a period of testing that leads to perfect completion. Please note that Moses took 40 years in the wilderness to take
Egypt out of him but Jesus has now shown the way that with the power of the Holy Spirit working in us we can take Egpyt out of us in not more than 40 days.

Answer 2

He was alone in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. Shaman in training also go into the wilderness for a period of time. It was common for a person to go into the desert to battle with Satan. When Jesus was in the wilderness he was tempted by Satan, but overcame all of the temptations. This was a time of private prayer, fasting, etc. to prepare himself spiritually for what he was going to do in his earthly ministry.

Let me also say that the term "40" means "a long time", so it might not have actually been that length of time. Same is true for 40 years. We can not take the time literally. It might have been more, maybe less.

Answer 3

Because the number 40 is a number of completion. The text is not literally pointing at 40 actual days, but that he fasted until what he was trying to do was complete.

Answer 4

The Bible is clear that God considers 40 days a spiritually significant time period. Whenever God wanted to prepare someone for his purpose, he took 40 days: Noah, Moses, The spics, David, Elijah, The entire city of Nineveh, Jesus, and the disciples were transformed by 40 days with Jesus after his resurrection.

inteleyes.... Peace!

Answer 5

So that on Judgement Day, no-one can say to God: "You don't understand what I went through"

Hbr 4:14 ¶ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.


Hbr 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.

Answer 6

Who among Catholics today can spend silence and solicitude even for just 30 minutes? And who still observes today the days appointed for fasting and abstinence? Many say that they'd go crazy with silence. And they'd rather abstain from other things (like spending, watching, texting, net surfing) than get deprived of sensible pleasures.

The Lord teaches us that God will not kill us, His children, by prayer in silence and solitude and in mortification. St. Teresa of Jesus, the great mother and foundress of the Discalced Carmelite Order, lays down the same exercises for those who would like "to be alone with Him Whom we know loves us". We must learn how to sut up the world and its cares and listen instead to the voice of God if we are to have direction in our lives and the Lord gives us the example here.

Further, "to fast 40 days without being hungry, was certainly far above the strength of man, but to be hungry at any time is inconsistent with God; for which reason our blessed Saviour, that he might not manifestly declare his divinity, was afterwards hungry" (St. Hilary). "On this example, as well as that of Moses and Elias, who also fasted 40 days, the fast of Lent was instituted by the apostles, and is of necessity to be observed according to the general consent of the ancient Fathers. St. Jerome (ep. liv. ad Marcel.) says, we fast 40 days, or make one Lent in a year, according to the tradition of the apostles. St. Augustine (serm. lxix.) says, by the due observance of Lent, the wicked are separated from the good, infidels from Christians, heretics from Catholics. Our Saviour fasted 40 days, not because he stood in need of it, as we do, to subject the unruly members of the body, which lust against the spirit, but to set an example for our imitation" (Fr. Haydock). "Another reason might be, to prevent the captious remarks of the Jews, who might object that he had not yet done what the founder of their law, Moses, and after him Elias, had done" (Palacius in Mat.).

Answer 7

This time of testing showed that Jesus really was the Son of God, able to overcome the Devil and his temptations. It gave Jesus the opportunity to re-affirm God's plan for his ministry. It also gives us an example to follow when we are tempted. Jesus' temptation was an important demonstration of his sinlessness. He would face temptation and not give in.

Answer 8

One of the most powerful weapons of spiritual warfare that God has given to His children is fasting -- a way of crucifying the flesh or denying your flesh the basic sustenance of food. Although fasting will weaken you physically, it will highly enlighten you spiritually. It is important to note that fasting should be combined with prayer for utmost effectiveness.
Fasting is a form of spiritual discipline that informs God that you are serious about repentance. Fasting is a significant part of your Christian walk just as praying and reading the Bible is significant. Fasting is for everyone who desires to draw closer to God.
When you fast, you do not have to give up just food; it can be anything of importance to you that is a sacrifice to give up. Whenever you fast, you need to pray and seek the Lord, otherwise you are just depriving your body of food and not getting in touch with what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you.
Although fasting is not commanded in the Bible, it is expected of all believers in their Christian walk, for Matthew 6:17-18 says "when you fast." Jesus did not say, "if you fast" but rather "when you fast'; therefore Jesus reveals through scripture that fasting is expected of us; however, it is not commanded (for example, you are not committing sin by not fasting).

Answer 9

when a person fasts(which fasting means giving anything up for a period of time, doesn't have to be food, can be watching tv, being on the computer, anything that will bring you closer to God). it shows devotion and sacrifice to God.

Fasting is showing your loyalty and becoming spiritually closer to God and Jesus. It liks saying, "God, you are number one in my life and I am only focusing in on you and setting this extra time for you and you only."

Which it also does help clean out the physcial body as well from all the junk we eat.

Jesus did it to seek the face of God, to seek His will and purpose and to draw spiritually closer to His Father. Which also helped him resist temptation from Satan.

Answer 10

He knew 40 days was the correct time to strenghten his resolve.