What does the fish mean?

Question

I see it on cars all the time.

Answer 1

The fish symbolizes the fact that we as Christians are to be fishers of men. Goes back to New testament. We are to fish for disciples and bring them to God. Sort of like the euphemism of the harvest being plentiful but the harvesters being few. We are to harvest the believers souls so that they can be separated like wheat form the chaff.

Answer 2

Saulg21 is right, although I've also heard it this way.
Back in early Christianity, Christians were severly persecuted, however, everyone would talk in the markets and outside their doors and places like that. As they were talking about different things, one would draw an arc in the sand, if the other, during the course of a non-religious conversation would complete the fish by drawing another arc, that crossed the first arc, then the two would know the other was a Christian and would go inside to talk privately about Christianity. The fish was chosen because Christ said that He would make is followers "fishers of men", and there were many other stories that involved fish. ...If the other person didn't complete the arc, then it just looked like someone drawing an arc in the sand, and the Christian wasn't "outed".

Answer 3

CHRIST in Greek spells fish and is one of the symbols that parallel 'the message' told through Scripture.
The significance being that both swim in the river. This Symbolic Fish swims in a River of Judgment bringing the Word of God to you and me.
Metaphorical poetry tells a story on two levels at once.
Like the children's story of The Ugly Duckling, we know it isn't about a duck but rather a child. Point for point the story is told about a duck and understood as a human child.

So there is a Garden: With a Tree; surrounded by a River which has four branches. There are four Gospels: It is the Passion Play
as done on the Greek Stage, four connected works, the story being told from different points of view. Each demonstrates the Testimony of Christ:
Matthew from the point of view of the LAW;
Mark from the point of view of the ORDINANCES of Judgment
Luke tells the Testimony showing that Mercy is RIGHTEOUS.
John tells from the point of view that merciful DEEDS are our faithful requirement.
The Testimony of CHRIST winds through the stories as a serpent or serpentine as a river winds through the land. Jesus is the Testator or "the fish" in that thread of thought.
In the Old Testament LORD appears in capitol letters which signify that it is most likely an acronym which is a component of poetry.

Answer 4

What you are seeing is called an "ichthus", from the ancient Koine Greek word for "fish". It became a Christian symbol waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day, probably because several of the apostles were themselves fishermen, and Jesus told them "From now on you shall be fishing for men."

When the serious persecution started, Christians couldn't just say the name "Jesus" out loud, or admit to being Christians in public, for fear their head would be next on the block. The easiest way to identify a fellow believer, then became to draw in the sand. If you were standing in the marketplace (usually outside) talking to your 2nd cousin from Athens, and thought he might be a Christian, you would draw a half circle with your foot, as if you were just standing and figeting around. If he WAS a Christian, he would complete the "fish" symbol by drawing another half-circle on top of yours.

The symbol just never died.

Answer 5

In ancient times when the Romans were persecuting the Christians,The Christians didn't know who to trust just in case the other person was a Roman sympathizer or informer. So,they would draw the sign of the fish in the dirt and if the other person did the same thing,then that was how you knew you were in the company of a fellow Christian.

Answer 6

The fish doesn't represent Jesus.
Since most of the followers of Christ were fishermen and as well were persecuted for their belief, the fish was used as a symbol, it you saw it then you knew you could worship there and be safe from persecution byRoman soldiers and the like..
It's was never to be meant as a symbol of Christianity and has no bearing because Christ feed multiple people with a few fish.\
All it ever was, was a symbol of safehaven for worshippers of Christ..

Answer 7

The 'fish symbol" was sign used by early followers of 'the way'. Being Christian was punishable by death so Christians had to be very careful about who they were coming in contact with. One would use a stick to make an arc in the sand and if the other person completed the fish sign with his own arc it would be safe to talk about Jesus. Today we display that symbol to represent our own commitment to Christ.

Answer 8

It is called the icthus symbol... and is a greek acrostic for
Jesus---Christ---God---Son ---Savior The first greek letter of each word was placed inside the fish symbol to identify the christian group.... as a secret sign...understood by the group it represented.

Answer 9

The fish symbol is a symbol of Jesus Christ. It came about because of the Greek phrase "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" if you take the first letters off of that phrase in Greek they spell out FISH also in Greek.

Answer 10

It's a silent witness for Christianity. Jesus fed 5,000 with fish and bread...