Should Christians fast on Good Friday?

Question

Based on Mark 2:20, "The days will come when the bridegroom [Jesus] is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day."

Is it customary for some Christians to fast on Good Friday? I'm sure some do, but when I was a Christian, we never did. I'm thinking that it makes sense to do so, based on this verse.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Matthew 4:1-2: Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry.

Matthew 17:17-20: And Jesus rebuked him, and the devil went out of him, and the child was cured from that hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus secretly, and said: Why could not we cast him out? Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible to you. But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting.




In the time of Christ's Incarnation, practitioners of the Old Testament religion fasted or abstained on Mondays and Thursdays, but Christians opted to take Wednesdays (the day Our Lord was betrayed) and Fridays (the day Our Lord was crucified) as their penitential days.

Wednesdays and Fridays are still days of penance in most Eastern Catholic Churches (and among the Orthodox), but in the Roman Church, only Fridays, as memorials to the day our Lord was crucified, remain as weekly penitential days on which abstinence from meat and other forms of penance are expected as the norm.

We fast for many reasons. Even if there were no other reason to fast, we fast out of obedience: Our Lord and His Apostles tell us to. We also fast to discipline the body so that we can focus more intently on the spiritual. And we fast to do penance

Answer 2

That's not exactly correct. If you take the verse out of context you might get that impression, but if you read the chapter as a whole, as He did so often, Jesus was speaking in parabolic terms. You don't put a new patch on an old garment. You don't put new wine in an old wine-skin. And is the bridegroom He is referring to actually a parable of Himself? Doubtful. If anything He might be alliterating to the fact that after He was gone, the Bread of Life might be missing; yet another parable. I've seen nothing in the Bible that demands fasting on Good Friday. Though if you deem it necessary, I doubt God would object. A blessed Easter to you and yours.

Answer 3

It is one's belief to FAST or not.

Roman Catholic Christians treat Good Friday as a fast day, which is defined as only having one large meal (but still smaller than a regular meal) and two small ones not equaling the large one. In the United States, it is not a day of abstention from work however; people work until shortly before the beginning of the afternoon liturgy. In Latin America, all Catholics have work abstention on Good Friday (as well as Holy Thursday, the day of the last supper).

It is also said it is a time to remember family and the faithful who have died as we await the resurrection, or to honor the martyrs who have given their lives for the cause of Christ in the world. While Good Friday is a traditional day of fasting, some also fast on Saturday as the climax of the season of Lent. An ancient tradition dating to the first centuries of the church calls for no food of any kind to be eaten on Holy Saturday, or for 40 hours before sunrise on Sunday. However it is observed, Holy Saturday has traditionally been a time of reflection and waiting, the time of weeping that lasts for the night while awaiting the joy that comes in the morning (Psa 30:5).

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance—a day of contemplating one's transgressions.

However, some Christians, who do not celebrate Ash Wednesday, say that the practice is not consistent with Scripture and is of pagan origin. They usually cite Matthew 6:16–18, where Jesus gave prescriptions for fasting: "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (NRSV) These groups argue that Jesus warned against fasting to gain favor from other people and that he also warned his followers that they should fast in private, not letting others know they were fasting. -

Answer 4

It is a form of sacrifice to share in Christ's sufferings. Aside from fasting , there is abstinence when most of the healthy adults abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Answer 5

Me family and I don't fast but we're Christain. Sometimes I guess we just don't show it that much. It makes sense that we should, but everybody's religion thoughts are different. All I do on Good Friday is remember what he did for us, and look at all those sad people who've wasted so many chances not caring what Jesus did or not.

He had nails driven into his skin, he was hung, and his arms were stretched out for so long that his lungs gave out. ALL FOR US.

Answer 6

No "that's what comes out of a guy that renders him impure(Matt15) Even on the Weds and Fris of Pascha? i like St Serafim yet i will take the recent testomony over him or absolutely everyone else into self-torture( chains,kneeling on rocks,and so on) A Christian is abeliever in the creeds of Christ and who follows Him and His teachings via grace. Fasting is a laudable prepare even though it is not needed for salvation or Christian id Fasting and abstaining from meat,and so on is likewise solid if executed in memory of Christ's death and resurrection for us. Jesus did say"once you speedy..." not "in case you speedy..."

Answer 7

If your Christian denomination does not require fasting then you can still make a personal decision to fast.

Catholics fast on Good Friday and welcome all who wish to join us.

With love in Christ.

Answer 8

I've personally never heard of it, or practiced it. Jesus didn't ask us to - this verse could also apply to when Jesus ascended into Heaven the last time.

Answer 9

Catholics do, because, as you have pointed out, it is Biblical.

Answer 10

Are you done with your homework?!

I've been drinking anyways....even though you didn't post any questions or answers (none that I saw anyways....)