“He had fasted forty days and forty nights” (Matthew 4:2)

February 25, 2022

His Love and Passion driving Him on earth for the salvation of mankind, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came from heaven to hunger, suffer and die in giving His life in return of us.

After His baptism, He went to down to the dessert and “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.” Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. ” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.” Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

On wards, all Christians in the name of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ abstain from food and water on those forty days and additional fifteen days during the season of The Great Lent. The Great Fast (Lent) is one of the seven proclamations that our Church commands us to fast. Each year Christians fast commemorating His hunger and His suffering in defeating also our enemy.

Accordingly, during eight the weeks of the Great Fast, eight Saturdays and eight Sundays in which Holy Church named the Sundays after the Psalm of Saint Jared as The First Sunday Zewerede: He who comes down, The Second Sunday is Kedest; Holy/Sanctify, The Third Sunday Mekurab: Temple, The Fourth Sunday is Metsagu: Infirmity, the Paralytic, The Fifth Sunday Debre Zeit: Mount of Olives, The Sixth Sunday is Gebre Here; Faithful Servant, The Seventh Sunday is Nicodemus: A ruler of the Jews and The Eight Sunday Hosanna/Savior: Palm Sunday.

The First Sunday Zewerede: He who comes down

Zewerede is the first Sunday of the Great Lent. It signifies the notion of Lord Jesus coming down from Heaven to earth for the salvation of all mankind. His miraculous work was to save Adam and his children from eternal death; Saint Jared said, “The Jews crucified the God who came down from heaven to save Adam. They do not know that he is the Lord of all.”

Holy Church named the first week as “Fast of Hercules;” named after Byzantine king. It is named after King Hercules due to His fast during this season. Whilst Persians invaded Jerusalem and took away the cross of our Lord, He went to Persia, took the cross from them, and returned to Jerusalem. The apostles in their synod proclaimed before Hercules fought the Persians and said, “Let the murderer fast for the rest of his life.” The maximum age of a person is seventy, eighty years. They fasted it saying, “We will divide the fast into five days and we ill fast for you.”

Those unaware fasted only once; but the ones aware of the apostles already fasting the Great Lent. Based on this ritual, our Church proclaims the fast of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ stating it also as “Fast of Hercules.”

As Prophet Joel says, “Blow the [trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room,” all Christians shall fast it, for the redemption of our soul. (Joel 12:15-16)

Saint Paul have also said, “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fasting; by purity, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love.” (2 Corinthians 6: 4-6)

Besides, Saint Apostles fasted following our Lord’s Jesus death, resurrection and Ascension akin our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, fasted for forty days and forty nights for we shall do as same The Apostles also made the law of the fast. Then, we shall all fast, recognizing it is a rule.