JESUS AND FASTING: AN EXAMPLE OF SELF DENIAL

Ojo Margaret Yemisi

Department Of Religious Studies,

University of Ado Ekiti. Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

e-mail: magyem0001@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT.

Abstaining from eating and drinking which is seen as fasting by Christians, posses a religious significance. The paper discussed that fasting as a self denial could be a sign to express

deeper loss, it could also be a sign of expectation for better things, it may also stand in as a sign of sober reflection of sin committed. The paper also discussed that Jesus did not take up fasting as a discipline on its own right but as activity which he gave high priority. The paper also discussed that fasting should be a thing of pure heart, submission to the will of God and not necessarily hypocritical like the Pharisees.

Keywords: Fasting, Self-Denial, Religious life, Prayer, Jesus.