Among the many miracles Jesus performed during his ministry on Earth was the “Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes” on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:31-44; Luke 5:1-8; John 21:1-6). And now, over two millennia later, scientists may have found tangible proof that it happened. Moreover, they believe they know how it happened.

The multi-institutional team of environmental scientists and physical limnologists (ecological studies of lakes and other smaller bodies of water) looked over the behavior and biology of aquatic life in what is also known as Israel’s Lake Kinneret. What they found collectively could be a factual and scientific explanation for how Jesus created an offering of those many multiple fish.

The research, published in Water Resources Research, cites strong winds that triggered internal waves (i.e., the surface of different depth and ecological levels within a body of water). According to the study, these unique waves “caused low-oxygen water from deeper layers of the lake to rise up, probably suffocating the fish to death.” When fish die, they float to the surface, ergo, creating a substantial haul for any fishermen who were sitting around with Jesus in the Sea of Galilee one fateful day.

Mass fish extinction levels have been reported in the 1990s once, and then single instances in 2007, 2012, and 2023, according to Dr. Tamar Zohary. He is a regarded researcher from the Kinneret Limnological Laboratory, part of the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute that teamed up with the Agriculture Ministry’s Volcani Institute, and Griffith University, Australia, for the research.

It was 2012 that sparked this study because the travesty of ecology happened three times across three months–May 31, June 1, and June 28. It was thought at the time “intentional pesticide poisoning” was to blame, but some researchers thought another story may have validity.

Hooked On Logic

According to the ecological study, this internal wave aspect of fish mortality is uncommon, but should not be surprising. Internal levels of lakes can collide and eradicate oxygen for fish caught in that combustive area. With all those fish floating to the surface, they can still make an impressive haul for cooking via the skilled fisherman. Of course, Peter being one himself.

“According to the first biblical narrative, five loaves of bread and two small fish that Jesus handed out fed 5,000 people. In the second narrative, the apostles were fishing unsuccessfully until Jesus told them to try one last cast, which was rewarded with a great catch,” the paper noted.

This miracle is one of those most impressive in the Bible, as seen by mere storytelling. The aforementioned parenthetical references are crucial to understanding the importance of this miracle because it is the only one of Jesus’ miracles found in all four Gospels. Moreover, references to the “Feeding of the Masses” are found twice in two Gospels–Matthew and Mark (Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9)–as the study referenced as well.

Until Jesus may have taken advantage of internal waves, these fishermen were having a bad day. With an intimate understanding of nautical capacity, given His Father made the oceans (Genesis 1:2-7). The researchers knew the Biblical record, so they wanted to find any other explanation that would cause this rush of dead fish on the day sharede in each Gospel.

The researchers sought to find out if there might have been another explanation for the sudden rise in fish numbers described in the biblical accounts. Their work involved sending temperature sensors and oxygen level measuring devices into Lake Kinneret. They tested wind speed and direction and noted modern historical accounts of fish die-offs in the lake. The team found short periods when winds across the surface of Lake Kinneret were strong enough to pull oxygen from its depths, leaving little to none for aquatic life.

Whether people learn about the works of Jesus through faith or logic, the desired end result is the same–for all to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord. If this “upwelling of low-oxygen water caused by wind-driven internal waves” killed hordes of fish that local fishermen collected for Jesus to feed the city, or if it was a miracle of God to bless His people, the studied result was the same.

It happened. Men wrote it. Then, they researched it. And that settles it.