What Jesus Said About Food, Fasting & Physical Needs (19 Teachings)

Human beings do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from God.

Read the Scripture Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4

King James Version

Matthew 4:4

⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Luke 4:4

⁴And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Jesus is the bridegroom whose presence changes the fitting time for fasting.

Read the Scripture Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19–20; Luke 5:34–35

King James Version

Matthew 9:15

¹⁵And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

Mark 2:19–20

¹⁹And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
²⁰But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

Luke 5:34–35

³⁴And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
³⁵But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

Fasting should not advertise spirituality.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:16–18

King James Version

Matthew 6:16–18

¹⁶Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
¹⁷But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
¹⁸That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Life is more than food and the body more than clothing.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:25; Luke 12:22–23

King James Version

Matthew 6:25

²⁵Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Luke 12:22–23

²²And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
²³The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Do not be consumed by anxiety about ordinary needs.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:25–34; Luke 12:22–31

King James Version

Matthew 6:25–34

²⁵Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
²⁶Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
²⁷Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
²⁹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
³⁰Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
³¹Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
³²(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
³⁴Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Luke 12:22–31

²²And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
²³The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
²⁴Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
²⁵And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
²⁶If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
²⁷Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
²⁸If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
²⁹And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
³⁰For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
³¹But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Even a cup of cold water given because someone is a disciple will not lose its reward.

Read the Scripture Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:41

King James Version

Matthew 10:42

⁴²And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Mark 9:41

⁴¹For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

Compassion for the hungry should become practical provision.

Read the Scripture Matthew 14:16; Mark 6:37; Luke 9:13

King James Version

Matthew 14:16

¹⁶But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

Mark 6:37

³⁷He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

Luke 9:13

¹³But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

Feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned.

Read the Scripture Matthew 25:35–40

King James Version

Matthew 25:35–40

³⁵For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
³⁶Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
³⁸When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
³⁹Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

A cup given because someone belongs to Christ is remembered by God.

Read the Scripture Mark 9:41

King James Version

Mark 9:41

⁴¹For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

Ask for daily bread and necessary provision.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3

King James Version

Matthew 6:11

¹¹Give us this day our daily bread.

Luke 11:3

³Give us day by day our daily bread.

Fasting has an appropriate place after the bridegroom is taken away.

Read the Scripture Matthew 9:14–15; Mark 2:18–20; Luke 5:33–35

King James Version

Matthew 9:14–15

¹⁴Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
¹⁵And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

Mark 2:18–20

¹⁸And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
¹⁹And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
²⁰But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

Luke 5:33–35

³³And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
³⁴And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
³⁵But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

David's consecrated-bread episode shows that legal interpretation must account for human need.

Read the Scripture Matthew 12:3–4; Mark 2:25–26; Luke 6:3–4

King James Version

Matthew 12:3–4

³But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
⁴How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Mark 2:25–26

²⁵And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
²⁶How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

Luke 6:3–4

³And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
⁴How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

Food entering the body is not the ultimate source of moral defilement.

Read the Scripture Mark 7:18–19; Matthew 15:17

King James Version

Mark 7:18–19

¹⁸And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
¹⁹Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

Matthew 15:17

¹⁷Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

Jesus answers fasting criticism by identifying himself as the bridegroom.

Read the Scripture Matthew 9:14–17; Mark 2:18–22; Luke 5:33–39

King James Version

Matthew 9:14–17

¹⁴Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
¹⁵And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
¹⁶No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
¹⁷Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Mark 2:18–22

¹⁸And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
¹⁹And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
²⁰But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
²¹No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
²²And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

Luke 5:33–39

³³And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
³⁴And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
³⁵But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
³⁶And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
³⁷And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
³⁸But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
³⁹No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Jesus asked for the little food that was available and used it to feed thousands.

Read the Scripture Matthew 14:18

King James Version

Matthew 14:18

¹⁸He said, Bring them hither to me.

Rest for a while after demanding ministry.

Read the Scripture Mark 6:31

King James Version

Mark 6:31

³¹And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Jesus sent his disciples to prepare the Passover, telling them exactly where to find the room, and they found it just as he said.

Read the Scripture Matthew 26:18–19; Mark 14:12–16; Luke 22:8–13

King James Version

Matthew 26:18–19

¹⁸And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
¹⁹And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Mark 14:12–16

¹²And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?
¹³And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
¹⁴And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
¹⁵And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.
¹⁶And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

Luke 22:8–13

⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.
⁹And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
¹⁰And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.
¹¹And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
¹²And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.
¹³And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

After his resurrection, Jesus cooked breakfast for his disciples and invited them to come and eat.

Read the Scripture John 21:12

King James Version

John 21:12

¹²Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Jesus is compassionate toward crowds who are harassed, hungry, sick, or shepherdless.

Read the Scripture Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; Mark 6:34; 8:2

King James Version

Matthew 9:36

³⁶But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Matthew 14:14

¹⁴And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Matthew 15:32

³²Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Mark 6:34

³⁴And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Mark 8:2

²I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

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What Jesus said about Food, Fasting & Physical Needs

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How can Jesus help?

What Jesus said about Food, Fasting & Physical Needs

A Guide for Real Life