In early April of 2006, many of the major news media outlets (including MSNBC's website: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12152740/) carried a story about a Florida State University professor who tried to help the Lord out by explaining a miracle, a supernatural event, in natural terms.
Dr. Doron Nof believes that Jesus Christ did not walk on the water of the Sea of Galilee. At least he doesn't believe that He walked on water in its liquid state. He believes that He may have walked on the solid form of water-ice. Before it is over, Nof's natural explanation will rival the real miracle as recorded in the gospels.
Since the news media will not challenge Nof's goofy theory, here are some questions that folks ought to consider:
- Why should anyone BELIEVE a college professor living about 2,000 years removed from the event over the testimony of eye witnesses? If we have to BELIEVE one, who would you BELIEVE?
- How cold would it have had to be in order for a chunk of ice to form thick enough to support a full grown man?
- Wouldn't that have been too cold to hold a "Dinner on the Ground" in which more than 5,000 people attended just hours before (Matthew 14:15-21)?
- How large would this floating piece of ice have had to be for Jesus Christ to walk on it and reach the disciples who are said to be 25 to 30 furlongs (John 6:19) from the land? That means that the disciples are between 3 and 4 miles out from shore in the middle of a large body of water.
- With ice that large, why would any grown men, some of which were commercial fisherman who fished that very lake regularly, get on board a ship and sail across it AT NIGHT (John 6:17)?
- How thick would that large, floating hunk of ice have had to be in order to remain in tact with waves so high that grown men weren't able to make any progress rowing the ship to shore?
- How does this "natural explanation" account for the fact that Jesus Christ just happened to find His disciples who are 3 to 4 miles out from land on a lake that is 13 miles long and 7-8 miles wide? And He found them during the fourth watch of the night (Mark 6:48) which is the hours of 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock in the morning!
For all of that to occur naturally, it would take some kind of miracle. It would be almost as miraculous as a Big Bang that brought order and design to a universe of nothingness. Maybe someone needs to throw Dr. Nof a life jacket. I think he fell through the ice!
