a) What are the hypotheses admitted by Kardec to explain the fact that Jesus walked upon water?

         Kardec presents two hypotheses which explain the phenomenon (its natural explanation is found in the principles previously explained in chapter 14 - The Genesis According to Spirits). The first hypothesis states that Jesus, although living, appeared upon the water under a tangible form, whilst his body was elsewhere. This is considered to be the most probable hypothesis. One can even recognize in the recital certain characteristic signs of tangible apparitions.

         On the other hand, his body could have been sustained and weight neutralized by the fluidic-force which maintains a table in space without support. The same effect has many times been produced over human bodies.

         b) How are Jesus’ appearances explained?

         The appearances of Jesus after death are perfectly explained by the fluidic laws and properties of the perispirit. Jesus showed his spiritual body to them, which explains why he was only seen by those to whom he desired to make himself known. If he had worn his carnal body, he would have been seen by the first comer as in life. His disciples, being ignorant of the first cause of the phenomenon of apparitions, took no account of these peculiarities, which were not probably remarked. They saw Jesus and touched him; for them it was the resurrected body.

         Obs.: The perispirit is invisible to us in its normal state; but, as it is formed of ethereal matter, the spirit can in certain cases make it submit by an act of the will to a molecular modification, which renders it momentarily visible. Thus apparitions are produced which no more than other phenomena are outside of the laws of nature. The latter are no more extraordinary than that of vapor, which is invisible when it is rarefied, and which becomes visible when it is condensed. According to the degree of condensation of the perispiritual fluid, the apparition is sometimes vague and vaporous; and at other times it is more distinctly defined; at others it has quite the appearance of tangible matter. It can even reach tangibility to be mistaken for a person in the flesh.

         c) What are the main characteristics pointed out by Kardec to demonstrate these appearances are explained by the fluidic laws and properties of the perispirit?

         Kardec points out as main characteristics that He appeared and disappeared unexpectedly; he was seen by some and not by others, under a guise not recognized even by his disciples; he appeared to them in closed rooms, where a carnal body could not have penetrated; his language even has not the animation of a corporeal being; he has the tone which is brief and sententious, peculiar to spirits who manifest in this manner. His whole manner, in short, is not that of a denizen of the terrestrial sphere. The sight of him causes at the same time surprise and fear. Kardec highlights the fact that his disciples, in seeing him, speak no more to him in the old freedom; they felt that he was a man no more.

         d) Why does Spiritism consider these appearances to be natural?

         Whilst incredulity rejects all facts accomplished by Jesus having a supernatural aspect, and considers them without exception as legends, Spiritism gives greater part of them a natural explanation. It proves their possibility, not alone by the fluidic laws but by their identity with analogous facts produced by a multitude of persons in the most common conditions.

         Spiritism is the key of many passages of the Gospel, which without that would appear nonsensical. His disciples, being ignorant of the first cause of the phenomenon of apparitions, took no account of these peculiarities, which were not probably remarked. They saw Jesus and touched him; for them it was the resurrected body.

         e) What is the possibility that explains the transformation of water into wine?

         Every one of Jesus acts and teachings left by him were of a spiritual nature.

         Considered by itself, this fact has little importance comparatively with those which truly testify of the spiritual qualities of Jesus. By admitting that things have taken place as they are reported to have done, it is remarkable that it is the sole phenomenon of this kind which he has produced.

         Kardec highlights He was of a nature too elevated to attach him to purely material effects, calculated solely to attract the curiosity of the crowd who would have confounded him with a magician. He knew that useful things would obtain him more sympathy, and obtain for his cause more converts than those which could pass for a juggler’s tricks and touch not the heart.

         His moral power testifies the superiority of Jesus much more than the purely material fact of the multiplication of bread, which must have been considered as an allegory.

         f) What can we consider to be more important: Jesus’ so called “miracles” or his moral teachings?

         The greatest miracle Jesus has performed – that which truly attests his superiority – is the revolution his teachings have made in the world, notwithstanding his limited filled of action.

         Jesus was indeed, poor, obscure, born in a most humble condition among a despised people, very ignorant and without political, artistic or literary influence. He preached only three years. During this time, so short duration, he was despised and persecuted by his fellow citizens. Kardec says the triumph of his doctrine is the greatest of his miracles; at the same time, it proves his divine mission. If, in place of social and regenerative principles, founded upon the spiritual future of man, he had offered to posterity only a few marvelous facts, scarcely would his name be mentioned today.

         g) What can we conclude after studying this topic?

         Of all the faculties which have been revealed to us in Jesus, there is not one which is outside or beyond the conditions of humanity, because they are gifts of nature; but by the superiority of his moral essence and his fluidic qualities, they attained with him proportions above that of the common. He represented to us; aside from his carnal envelope, the state of pure spirits.

         The biblical texts do not explain the laws that rule the phenomenon narrated because they were unknown to them at that time. Spiritism reveals to us the laws that rule the spiritual life. We can conclude that, they were natural phenomenon, which are in accordance with the Divine laws but were considered to be miracles at the time since these laws were unknown to them.