Do Christians walk on water?

[Needy1]

According to John 14:12, Christians would walk on water, resurrect the dead. Probably would move a mountain.
Have you ever seen christians doing these things? If so, where, who and when was it?

 

[Needy1]

Nvm I have realized that the verse is figurative language like TheLittleLady stated in the last topic I’ve posted.

 

[Lee1]

John 14:12
“Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.”

Our Lord proved His divinity through His miracles and His wisdom.

I have never seen the kinds of miracles you ask about performed by anyone personally. I have no doubt however that if ones faith was sufficient and God needed a miracle to occur that a person would find themselves being used as conduit for such a miracle.

As the little lady had pointed out, the consensus of opinion may be that Jesus was speaking figuratively, that may be true and conveniently covers all cases where people fail to perform miracles. However, such miracles have occurred if you read the lives of the saints, and I’ve no doubt one or two people can testify to having seen some form of miracle in their lifetimes even if it was simply a change of heart from staunch unbeliever to believer. The latter being a great miracle and which we are told causes heaven to rejoice!

John 14 is a very interesting chapter if you read it fully.

Blessed be God forever.

 

[Mintaka]

In general, there is no pressing need to command elements or walk on water. But there have been cases where saints have done such things. (Peter, most notably.)

 

[midori]

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Most of us are still working on the “having love” bit before we can get to the “moving mountains” part.

 

[adamhovey1988]

What is it with all these weird questions? Do you honestly think you’re going to discredit Christianity? People have been trying for two thousand years, so far they’ve failed spectacularly at it. Jesus walked on water, he told Peter to have faith in him so that he would, but Peter’s faith was too weak. Remember, it was Peter that said he wanted to meet him on the water. Please, actually read the passage. Matthew 14:22-33 RSVCE - Jesus Walks on the Water - Then he made - Bible Gateway. I think you’re missing the point, episodes like this were to strengthen the apostles faith. I don’t recall Jesus ever saying walking on water was necessary for salvation.

 

[Mintaka]

St. Birinus, a bishop, walked on water. He is not very well known today, but it is in the old English chronicles.

(The story is that he forgot some stuff, so he got off his boat and walked back to shore, then walked back to his boat with his stuff. On top of the water. Not a very exciting story, other than how he did it.)

And honestly, that is the way most of the great miracleworker saints are – they tend to just do this offhand stuff, like teleporting groups of people so they won’t be late for dinner.

 

[Mintaka]

St. Charitina of Amisus had a more exciting time of it. After being tortured for the faith, she was tied up with a big rock around her neck, and thrown into the sea, but miraculously was able to climb out of the ocean.

(Her bonds came loose, the rock fell into the deep, and the sea “became like solid ground, and she stood upon the sea’s surface with steady and firm feet, until she had reached the shore. And then she said, “Hi, Consul!”” Yes, that is the quote. Miracle workers. Seriously, they just do this stuff.)

 

[Lee1]

Have you ever seen christians doing these things? If so, where, who and when was it?

The question was as above. It’s a good question but God is real whether we bilocate, raise the dead or cure ingrown toenails with just a wave of a hand.

We aren’t supposed to ask for signs because for one thing we can’t be sure of the source of such a sign. Having said that I’m sure we all have small stories we could share.

If you do a search on this website you’ll find a few such accounts from previous threads.

 

[Mintaka]

It’s more common for Christians to experience miraculous occurrences or prophetic/mystical gifts than to actually be given the gift of working miracles.

However, it’s reasonably common. It’s not even a case of “friend of a friend.” If you hang around Christians, you will hear plenty of first-person accounts of miracles done as a result of prayer by a whole church, by a small group, or by a certain person. If the need is great, it’s often not even a particularly saintly person who is given the gift.

For example, it’s fairly common in groups that feed the poor or the needy, or who do disaster relief, to experience a miraculous multiplication of food or drink. And no, I don’t mean miraculous charitable contributions, or everybody somehow manages to pull together enough. I’m talking straight up “soup pot that does not empty, no matter how many times you put your ladle in there, maybe even for a week without replenishment” kind of stuff. People don’t like to say too much about it when it’s happening, but this kind of stuff does happen; and you can easily hear about it from people who were there. And they’re the kind of people who know exactly how many bowls of soup you can get per soup pot, so it’s not like they’re just dreaming that they ladled out endless gallons.

And then there are people who are just ridiculously saintly and unworldly, and who do miracles without hardly even noticing them. It’s not just a Catholic thing or an Orthodox thing, and it’s not just monks and nuns. They aren’t going on TV and showing off; they just do this stuff.

You get people like Bl. Solanus Casey, who not only prayed for people and got miraculous healings for them and great wisdom that changed their lives, but also got miracles involving ice cream cones. Because, he said, Jesus and Mary like people celebrating with ice cream. (And you know, they probably do. But why doesn’t everybody get miraculous ice cream? Who knows? Maybe in an unfallen world, we all would. Why didn’t Jesus make him a great violinist or give him the gift of tongues, either of which would have made his own life easier? Who knows?)

So yeah, I’m pretty sure there’s probably Christians out there today who can walk on water, and they probably do it on their way to check their mail. While thinking about something else. And while still having plenty of their own problems and sufferings.

 

[Lee1]

But why doesn’t everybody get miraculous ice cream?

He had it in a drawer, the only miraculous thing was that the ice cream hadn’t melted, perhaps it was a cold drawer.

Blessed Father Solanus prayed for people and had about 750 cases of his prayers being answered. One of my favourite Capuchins

 

[Thom18]

God doesn’t grant anyone the power to walk on water or move mountains for show. All of the miracles which He chooses to work through us are done to accomplish His will, not our own. There is no purpose for us to move mountains, ressurrect the dead, walk on water, or turn water to wine, unless God wills it.

 

[TheLittleLady]

If I said “It is raining cats and dogs out there!” would you run out to pick up a puppy?

Seems that there is a failure to understand Christ’s words. He spoke to the Apostles in figurative language.

 

[Dan_Defender]

This. There has to be a higher purpose for miracles to happen. And like St Paul said:
’ So with yourselves; since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. ’ - 1 Corinthians 14:12

 

[Lee1]

If I said “It is raining cats and dogs out there!” would you run out to pick up a puppy?

If Jesus told me that yes I would run outside to pick up a puppy.

The problem is I feel you start to say that He was speaking figuratively how do you know when He was and when He wasn’t? I don’t think Jesus wanted to confuse anyone and having posted on this forum in mostly plain speech even I am misunderstood. I know the flip side is to take everything He said literally and that could cause problems too, but Irma you are free to choose the meaning behind His words then things can quickly become confusing I think.

 

[TheLittleLady]

The problem is I feel you start to say that He was speaking figuratively how do you know when He was and when He wasn’t? I don’t think Jesus wanted to confuse anyone and having posted on this forum in mostly plain speech even I am misunderstood. I know the flip side is to take everything He said literally and that could cause problems too, but Irma you are free to choose the meaning behind His words then things can quickly become confusing I think.

This is why Christ did not give us “a book”, He left us with the Church. She is there to help us understand His words.

Here is a simple article Do Catholics Take the Bible Literally?

Another brief article https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/all-documents/slc-1/5651-scripture-biblical-inerrancy/file

This is a topic one can study for a lifetime. We must understand the audience for whom the author was writing, simply in the Gospels each was written for a different audience and in a different style.

None of the authors of Scripture were writing the sort of literal way we modern, western thinkers expect from, say, a book about the history of WWII or a scientific book about heart transplants or even the weather report on our phone.

Red Pill Religion podcast did an program about the dangers of literalism but I cannot find it now, will link it when I find it.

 

[Lee1]

To be honest I’ve read the first article and I’m very confused. Is there a version of the bible which tells exactly the correct version of events, words and meanings? That would be very helpful because I really don’t want to take a degree to be able to benefit from the scriptures. This is a serious question, sincerely.

 

[TheLittleLady]

http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm

There is a list of US Approved Translations.

Having more than one translation helps.

Remember, Christ did not give us a self explanatory book. He gave us the Church, Scripture cannot be understood apart from the Church. When you do not understand a passage, go and speak to your priest, ask reliable Catholics, read some good commentaries.

You might want to pick up a copy of “The Great Adventure” Bible (I’ve heard good things) and I have found the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament - Google Search to be very good. Right now the New Testament is complete in the ICSB, the OT is being published volume by volume.

A good commentary like the Haydock commentary is good, however, it is not the newest good commentary.

 

[Lee1]

Thank you that’s very helpful. I do have the green Didache Bible with very good commentary, I’m guessing, :slightly_smiling_face:so I’m not entirely in the dark, but perhaps some other readers can also benefit from your help too. Thank you very much.

 

[Gorgias]

According to John 14:12, Christians would walk on water, resurrect the dead. Probably would move a mountain.
Have you ever seen christians doing these things? If so, where, who and when was it?

It’s December in the northeast U.S.; I walk on water everytime I go outside and try not to slip on the ice.

In any case, to point to John 14:12 and assert that it means that Christians will walk on water… well, it doesn’t really hold water, so to speak. Jesus didn’t say that we would do everything He did… did He? If so, then you need to provide an argument that you’re able to die on the cross for the salvation of mankind, wouldn’t you? After all… that was one of His works, wasn’t it?