CLAIM: Luke records that Jesus survived in the desert for 40 days without eating. Is this physically possible?

RESPONSE: First, the Bible never claims that fasting for 40 days is naturally or physically possible, anymore than it is naturally or physically possible to walk on water or rise from the dead. Instead, the Bible teaches that Jesus did this through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit (Lk. 5:17; Acts 2:22; Acts 10:38). Second, the text says that Jesus “ate nothing” (Lk. 4:2). This means that he certainly drank water during this time. Third, scientifically, there are many examples of people fasting for incredibly long amounts of time—sometimes several weeks on end. In a recent Scientific American article from 2004, Alan Lieberson (MD) documents many cases of people who have fasted for several weeks long. For instance, Mahatma Gandhi survived 21 days with only sips of water. Other hunger strikers have survived for 28, 36, 38, and even 40 days long.[1]