Was the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with just five loaves and two fish a little less than miraculous? Well, that’s what a group of scientists are claiming in a recent paper published in a scientific journal. Instead of a supernatural provision by the Lord, they claim the feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000, along with the miraculous catch of fish, “were merely coincidental events.”
These scientists were studying Lake Kinneret, which they identify as the Sea of Galilee from the New Testament. They placed temperature sensors and oxygen monitoring devices deep into the lake and tested both wind speed and direction on the surface. They then examined “modern historical accounts of fish die-offs.” Their research found:
They found short periods of time when winds across the surface of the lake were strong enough to pull oxygen from its depths, leaving little to none for aquatic life.
The result was a sudden die-off, which, to a person on shore or in a boat, looked like a mass number of fish slowly rising to the surface of the lake, allowing them to be easily caught—as was the case in accounts from the Bible.
These researchers believe that, while Jesus was teaching, a wind blew over the lake, and thermal stratification reduced the oxygen in the water and large numbers of fish died, floated to the surface, and bobbed their way up onto the shore where “they could be easily collected by a hungry populace.” They also claim that when Jesus told his weary disciples, who’d fished all night and caught nothing, to throw their nets on the other side of the lake, they drew in so many fish because there had been a mass die-off and the fish were easy pickings.
I imagine you’re probably laughing at this point. It’s just so silly when we compare what they claim with the biblical account.
For example, the popular science article claims the fish were easily caught as “was the case in accounts from the Bible.” But is that what the Bible teaches when it comes to the five loaves and two fish?
Matthew 14:13–21 KJV – “When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”
You may notice that the biblical text says nothing about the fish being “easily caught.” Jesus simply took the five loaves and two fish, thanked God, broke the loaves, handed everything to his disciples, and the disciples handed the food out. No fish were caught!
But what about the second miraculous feeding, this time of 4,000?
Mark 8:1–9 KJV – “In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.”
Again, nothing is said about Jesus or anyone catching any fish or gleaning off the beach (who wants a stinky, dead fish off a beach anyway?!).
Of course, another glaring problem with their natural explanation for this miracle is the bread—where did the loaves come from? They certainly didn’t float up from the bottom of the lake and wash ashore!
Also consider that, after Jesus fed the 5,000, the crowd was astonished and tried to make Jesus a king by force (John 6:14). Why would the crowd be so amazed that a man’s followers gathered a bunch of dead fish off a beach and handed them out that they try to make him their king, presumably to take down the Romans? It doesn’t make any sense.
What about the miraculous catch of fish—could a die-off explain that? That event happened twice, once at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 5:1–11) and again after his resurrection (John 21:1–14). So these researchers are suggestion a rare die-off event occurred four times during Jesus’ ministry—and he just happened to be able to capitalize off of it every time! And the disciples, seasoned fishermen actually on the water, didn’t see the fish bobbing up to the surface, but Jesus on the beach did see them? Again, it doesn’t match the details provided in the text!
But miracles in the Bible are not problems that need to be plausibly or scientifically explained away. Jesus is God; He spoke everything into existence. Turning a handful of loaves and fish into a feast for a multitude or commanding a large school of fish to swim into a net is nothing for Him!
