And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to people to be fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
In this saying, Jesus warns that fasting must be done with humility and without showiness. The hypocrites put their gloom and sadness on display so that their fasting will be noticed by people, and in that way they receive their praise and respect. He says that those who openly display their fasting have already received their reward (people’s praise). That is, they will not receive the true blessing from God, because there is deceit in their actions—namely, drawing people’s attention rather than opening themselves before God with humility. In this saying, Jesus calls for fasting to be from the heart, a manifestation of genuine faith without formalities, which is noticed and blessed by God, because God sees the true intentions—the posture of the heart.