Some biblical episodes may have natural explanations. A group of researchers has studied the miracle of the "miraculous catch of fish" attributed to Jesus, proposing a surprising hypothesis. They looked into the phenomenon of mass fish deaths in Lake Kinneret, known as the Sea of Galilee mentioned in the Bible.
Using probes and sensors placed in the depths of the lake, scientists observed a thermal mixing phenomenon between water layers. This mixing, linked to wind movements, would cause a sudden drop in oxygen levels, which could lead to the death of many fish.
According to the researchers, this drop in oxygen results from violent winds at the lake's surface. These winds create movements in the water that drive oxygen downward, leaving the upper layer deprived and causing the sudden death of fish, which then slowly float to the surface.
The biblical accounts, describing an unexpected abundance of fish, might thus coincide with these episodes of natural fish mortality. At the time, such a spectacle would likely have seemed miraculous to the shore-dwellers, seeing large numbers of fish floating within reach.
The scientists noted that this phenomenon mainly occurs when the lake is stratified: a warmer, oxygen-rich upper layer, where fish concentrate, sits above a cooler, oxygen-poor lower layer. When these layers mix due to strong winds, the upper lake layer becomes oxygen-deprived.
4th-century mosaic of fish and bread in the Church of the Multiplication, at Tabgha, on the shore of Lake Kinneret.
Credit: Photo, Tamar Zohary. From Water Resources Research (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2024WR037894
The fish in question, belonging to the dominant species in Lake Kinneret, tend to drift toward the shore after these mass mortality events. This sudden abundance could then explain the accounts of a miraculous catch and the gathering of fish in large quantities.
By cross-referencing historical and environmental data, the team showed that the current conditions of the lake closely resemble those during the time of Jesus. This finding suggests that the events described in the Bible could correspond to natural situations rather than supernatural miracles.
The researchers emphasize that this type of phenomenon remains rare, but it is well-documented. Their study offers a scientific perspective on millennia-old stories, while highlighting the importance of spectacular natural phenomena in ancient beliefs and traditions.