Pursuing Own Interests During Fasting in Isaiah 58
The prophet Isaiah, in chapter 58, confronts the people of Israel regarding their practice of fasting, particularly their tendency to pursue personal interests during these times of supposed devotion. The people question God, asking, "Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?" [2]. God's response, delivered through Isaiah, reveals that on the very day of their fast, they "find your desire, And drive hard all your workers" [2].
This passage highlights a disconnect between outward religious observance and inward spiritual reality. The people were fasting for "strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness," rather than in a way that would make their "voice to be heard on high" [1]. John Gill notes that the people's question about God not seeing their fasting reflects their confidence and even boasting in their religious services, similar to the Pharisee in Luke 18:12 [4]. Matthew Henry suggests that these hypocrites were displeased with God for not accepting their services, much like Cain was angry when his offering was not accepted [6].
The core issue is that their fasting was perverted from a means of divine worship and spiritual focus into a self-serving act [7]. Tyndale House emphasizes that fasting should be a time of self-deprivation aimed at focusing on God and pleasing Him, but these individuals were primarily interested in pleasing themselves and continuing in their sins [5]. Rashi, a medieval Jewish commentator, explains that the people would ask for "ordinances of righteousness" but had no intention of fulfilling them, and when their fasts went unanswered, they complained. one tradition notes that during their fasts, they pursued their business, even engaging in "robbery and violence" [8].
The Mosaic Law only explicitly appointed one fast, on the Day of Atonement, though other public fasts were proclaimed during times of national humiliation or danger [3]. However, the prophet here addresses a broader issue of sincerity in religious practice. John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, argues that fasting itself is not inherently valuable unless accompanied by "internal affection of the heart, true dissatisfaction with sin and with one’s self, true humiliation, and true grief, from the fear of God" [9]. one tradition states that God "abominates" when people use external signs to cloak a lack of integrity in their hearts [9]. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, references Isaiah 58:13 to illustrate activities forbidden on the Sabbath, including pursuing one's desires on a holy day, which further underscores the principle of refraining from personal pursuits during sacred times [10]. The prophet's message is a reproof against dependence on mere outward forms of worship without inward holiness [11].
Sources
- Isaiah “Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness: you don’t fast this day so as to make your voice to be heard on high. -- Isaiah 58:4”
- Isaiah “Isaiah 58:3 (NASB) — 'Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?' Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Fasts — + One fast only was appointed by the Mosaic law, that on the day of atonement. There is no mention of any other periodical fast in the Old Testament except in (Zechariah 7:1-7; 8:19) From these passages it appears that the Jews, during their captivity, observed four annual fasts,--in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. + Public fasts were occasionally proclaimed to express national humiliation and to supplicate divine favor. In the case of public danger the proclamation appears to have been accompanied with the blowing of trumpets. (Joel 2:1-15) (See ”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 58:3: Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not?.... Our fasting; takest no notice of it; expresses no approbation of it, and pleasure in it: this is put for all religious services, being what was frequently performed under the Old Testament, not only at certain times appointed by the Lord, but on other occasions, and of their own fixing; in which they put their confidence, and often boasted of, Luk 18:12, "wherefore have we afflicted our soul", by fasting, "and thou takest no knowledge?" of that, nor of us, and dost not save us from our enemies, and deliver us”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 58:3: 58:3 Fasting should be a time of self-deprivation in order to focus on God and pleasing him (Lev 16:29; see Zech 7:5). However, these people were only interested in pleasing themselves and continuing in their sins.”
- Isaiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Isaiah 58:3: Here we have, I. The displeasure which these hypocrites conceived against God for not accepting the services which they themselves had a mighty opinion of (Isa 58:3): Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Thus they went in the way of Cain, who was angry at God, and resented it as a gross affront that his offering was not accepted. Having gone about to put a cheat upon God by their external services, here they go about to pick a quarrel with God for not being pleased with their services, as if he had not done fairly or justly by them. Observe, 1. ”
- Isaiah (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Isaiah 58:5: Whilst the people on the fast-day are carrying on their worldly, selfish, everyday business, the fasting is perverted from a means of divine worship and absorption in the spiritual character of the day to the most thoroughly selfish purposes: it is supposed to be of some worth and to merit some reward. This work-holy delusion, behind which self-righteousness and unrighteousness were concealed, is met thus by Jehovah through His prophet: "Can such things as these pass for a fast that I have pleasure in, as a day for a man to afflict his soul? To bow down his hea”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Isaiah 58:2: like a nation that performed righteousness, etc. In this manner they constantly ask Me ordinances of righteousness, but they do not intend to fulfill them, and when they fast and are not answered, they say, “Why have we fasted, and You did not see?” But I say, “Behold, on the day of your fast you pursue business,” all the affairs of your necessities you toil to pursue, even robbery and violence.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 94: 2:13 ); that is, to remind the people that fasting in itself is not of great value in the sight of God, unless accompanied with internal affection of the heart, true dissatisfaction with sin and with one’s self, true humiliation, and true grief, from the fear of God; nay, that fasting is useful 2465 for no other reason than because it is added to these as an inferior help. There is nothing which God more abominates than when men endeavour to cloak themselves by substituting signs and external appearance for integrity of heart. Acco”
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Sabbath 24:1: There are activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath despite the fact that they do not resemble the [forbidden] labors, nor will they lead to [the performance of] the [forbidden] labors. 1 As stated in Chapter 21, Halachah 1, these two reasons are the source for the prohibitions placed in the category of sh'vut . Why then are [these activities] forbidden? Because it is written [ Isaiah 58:13], "If you restrain your feet, because of the Sabbath, and [refrain] from pursuing your desires on My holy day..." and it is written [ ibid. ], "”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 58 (introduction): REPROOF OF THE JEWS FOR THEIR DEPENDENCE ON MERE OUTWARD FORMS OF WORSHIP. (Isa 58:1-14) aloud--Hebrew, "with the throat," that is, with full voice, not merely from the lips (Sa1 1:13). Speak loud enough to arrest attention. my people--the Jews in Isaiah's time, and again in the time of our Lord, more zealous for externals than for inward holiness. ROSENMULLER thinks the reference to be to the Jews in the captivity practising their rites to gain God's favor and a release; and that hence, sacrifices are not mentioned, but only fasting an”