than anything the Messiah, peace be upon him, accomplished—and yet such deeds did not make him divine.
He continued: As for your claim that he walked upon the water, the Book of Kings relates that Elijah, peace be upon him, once journeyed to the Jordan accompanied by his disciple Elisha. He took his turban, struck the Jordan with it, and the riverbed dried so that both he and Elisha crossed on dry ground. Elijah was then taken up to heaven on a horse of light while Elisha watched; before his ascent he handed his cloak to Elisha. When Elisha returned to the Jordan he struck the water with that cloak, the river again dried up for him, and he walked back across. Neither man became a god by walking on water, and Elijah was not rendered divine by his ascent to heaven.
He said: And as for your assertion that he changed water into wine, the Book of Kings reports that Elisha once stayed with an Israelite woman who hosted him generously. When he was about to depart he asked her, “Do you have any need?” She replied, “Prophet of God, my husband is weighed down by a debt that has overwhelmed him. If you would pray to God for its repayment, please do.” Elisha said to her, “Collect every vessel you possess and borrow from your neighbors whatever containers you can.” She did so. He then instructed her to fill all the vessels with water and said, “Leave them for this night.” He went on his way, and the next morning the woman found that all the water had turned into oil. They sold the oil and settled their debt.