Did Jesus Walk on the Sea of Galilee? A Historical and Jewish Analysis

Is it really true that “Jesus” walked on the water of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) using the Shem HaMeforash (the sacred Divine Name)? I heard this is complete nonsense, and that anyone who says such a thing is misleading people and doesn’t actually know what they’re talking about. I’d appreciate if you could clarify this for me. Thank you.

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Shalom and blessings,

The stories about Jesus were written more than a hundred years after his death, not by people who actually saw him. Therefore, we do not have any reliable historical information about this man.

The Talmud mentions a figure named “Yeshu” centuries before the destruction of the Second Temple, which is why some scholars argue that it referred to a different individual (since the name “Yeshu” was in use in Israel at that time).

If the Talmud indeed spoke about the same Jesus, then the Sages clearly said that he “practiced sorcery and led people astray.” In other words, he used forms of sorcery to deceive the masses, just as the magicians of Egypt did when they appeared to turn staffs into snakes.

However, it’s important to note that some commentators, such as the Rambam (Maimonides), explained that these acts of “sorcery” were nothing more than tricks of illusion and sleight of hand — optical deceptions designed to mislead people. According to this view, Jesus also engaged only in deception and stage-magic rather than any true supernatural power.

It’s also essential to remember that the Jewish people never believed in Jesus or were impressed by his deeds. Ultimately, it was the pagan Romans — who already believed in idols and gods made of stone, who accepted him.