Matthew 6:17 — Greek Interlinear

Church Fathers on Matthew 6:17

The Lord having taught us what we ought not to do, now proceeds to teach us what we ought to do, saying, 'When thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face.'

A question is here wont to be raised; for none surely would literally enjoin, that, as we wash our faces from daily habit, so we should have our heads anointed when we fast; a thing which all allow to be most disgraceful.

Also if He bade us not to be of sad countenance that we might not seem to men to fast, yet if anointing of the head and washing of the face are always observed in fasting, they will become tokens of fasting.