What's the story of the Jesus Fish?

Question

How did it get its name? It just occured to me, that if I want to put something on my car I want to know what it is first. I have one at the front of my door, but I just don't know the story. Even the candy cane has a story, what's the fish?

Answer 1

Ichthus is an acrostic, which is a word formed from the initial letters of the several words in the name. It compiles to "Jesus Christ God's Son is Saviour"
I is the first letter of the word Jesus in Greek: Ἰησοῦς
CH are the first letters of the word Christos (Χριστóς),
TH are the first letters of the word THeou ,Greek for God
Y is the first letter for Yios , Greek for son.
S is the first letter for Soter , Greek for savior.
The early Christian,facing intense persecution,would use this symbol to secretly communicate.One would draw one arc of the fish,and if the other person was a Chrstian,they would complete the fish.

Answer 2

This symbol, called the vesica pisces (piscis) or "Jesus fish," has an unusual history. Used almost exclusively today to denote membership in the Christian religion, the symbol once held a very different meaning (even to the early Christians who adopted it). The words usually found inscribed within, ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthus), is Greek, meaning fish. The emblem became significant to Christians after St. Augustine, who extracted the word from the acrostic prophecy* of the Erythraean Sibyl, and applied the kabbalistic technique of notarikon to the word to reveal "Jesus Christ, God's son, savior." The custom of early Christians to communicate by drawing a portion in the dust was carried over from the practice of the ancient Pythagoreans, who discovered the shape's unique properties and made it an important part of their teachings.
You can read more about the hidden biblical symbolism of the Vesica Pisces here.

Answer 3

This symbol, called the vesica pisces (piscis) or "Jesus fish," has an unusual history. Used almost exclusively today to denote membership in the Christian religion, the symbol once held a very different meaning (even to the early Christians who adopted it). The words usually found inscribed within, ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthus), is Greek, meaning fish. The emblem became significant to Christians after St. Augustine, who extracted the word from the acrostic prophecy* of the Erythraean Sibyl, and applied the kabbalistic technique of notarikon to the word to reveal "Jesus Christ, God's son, savior." The custom of early Christians to communicate by drawing a portion in the dust was carried over from the practice of the ancient Pythagoreans, who discovered the shape's unique properties and made it an important part of their teachings.

May God bless you

Answer 4

ixoye (English transliteration) is the Greek word for Fish. The first letters of that word illiterate the phrase "Jesus Christ God's Son - Savior". The simple drawing of the fish was a common greeting among early, often times persecuted Christians, identifying themselves to each other

Answer 5

I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but from what I remember there was this long title that was given to Jesus, the acronym of which turned out to be fish in the language of the time.. IE Jesus fish.. Wierd but true from what I've heard.

Edit: I did a little research and found this:

"Early Christians used the fish as a recognition sign of their religion. It is also identified as the "Ichthus," an acronym from the Greek, "Iesous Christos Theou Uios Soter," or "Jesus Christ the Son of God, Saviour." Oxford English Dictionary (C.E.) defines "Ichthyic" as "of, pertaining to, or characteristic of fishes; the fish world in all its orders."
"

Answer 6

It is the Greek word Transliterated Ichthus which means fish in Greek. Taking the first letter from the Greek words for "Jesus Christ God's Son Savior".

Answer 7

Waaaay back when, when the Romans were persecuting the Christians, underground churches and individual Christians would show that symbol to others to show that they were Christians. To put it simply. It represents when Jesus fed the 5,000 or "I will make you fishers of men" One of the two.

Answer 8

Originally the cross was not a symbol of Christianity. The fish was the symbol because of the miracles of feeding the thousands.

It is there to remind us that we are not fed by bread alone but by every word spoken by God.

Answer 9

Don't report me for this, as I'm telling the truth. The real origin of this symbol? A vagina.

http://www.atheists.org/christianity/fish.html

Answer 10

it means peace
in egypt some christians have this on their car and then some muslims have a shark on theirs