What Does The Fish Symbol In Christianity Represent?

Question

I am a Christian and a strong believer too but what is the Fish symbol and why is it so important? Give me tons of details please.

Answer 1

It's called an Ichthus.
Ichthus is a Christian acronym of Greek words: I=Jesus, Ch=Christ, Th=Theou (God's), U=Uios (Son), S=Soter (Savior). Thus, IChThUS means "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior".

They used the fish originally to represent the Christians (ie - Fishers of Men). When there was a lot of persecution, that is how the Christians would identify each other to know when and where to meet.
If they met someone and wanted to know if they were a Christian, they would draw a sort of half-circle in the sand / ground with their foot. If the other person was a believer, they would make the same half-circle in the opposite direction, making the fish.... then they would know that they could trust each other. THey would then tell the other where the meetings and worship times were taking place.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

The Greek word for fish is "ixthus" or "icthus." The Christian fish symbol that many Christians place on their car is known as the “ixthus.” Five Greek letters form the word “ixthus,” and those letters inside the fish form an acrostic which is a message that Christians clearly identified with. The first letter represented the word Jesus. The second letter represented the word Christ, the next two, God Son, and the final letter represented the word Savior. This adds up to “Jesus Christ is God’s Son, the Savior.” During early Christianity, Christians were often put to death for practicing their faith, so they worshiped in secret places. A fish painted on the outside door of a house let other Christians know that they would be safe and welcome inside. The Christian fish symbol is now often used to identify Christians and/or Christian businesses.

Recommended Resource: The Quest Study Bible.

Answer 3

Origins
Prior to Christian belief, the ichthys was used worldwide as a symbol of the pagan "Great Mother Goddess." It was meant to represent the outline of her vulva, the portal through which all human life enters the world[1]. It is linked to the Age of Pisces and also has associations with the Hindu deity Vishnu, but more so with Dagon the fish-god of the Philistines. (The name Dagon is derived from "dag" which means fish.) There have also been discoveries of the fish-god in sculptures found in Nineveh Assyria. Dagon is also found in the Scriptures (Judges 16:23-24; 1 Samuel 5:2-5). In both instances, it was the transcendent, invisible God that defeated the idols. This being a common symbol in the ancient world, it could be used by secret societies without fear of persecution.

Answer 4

Many good answers above that point out the non Christian origin of the fish symbol.

Christ fed great multitudes of people fish and bread not just once but twice.
Jesus stated to Peter and his brother; "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men".
These are true but this is not sufficient enough reason to use a stylized fish.

This was introduced by the church in Rome during their absorptions. Not before among Christians as a high sign but later as they absorbed other smaller religious groups that placed value on the fish as sacred.
The fish symbol fitted nicely into certain scriptures and these pagan beliefs.

They have been deceived into using a pagan symbol. These have been misled into using a graven image. It is stated in the bible that a worshiper of God should not use/bow before/worship at graven images.

It is written:

Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth... (this would include "fish").

Answer 5

back in the day when Christians where not allowed to fellowship when they would be in public to find out if the other person was a Christian they would draw the fish symbol in the ground and if the other person did the same they would know the other was a christian

Answer 6

Jesus asked Peter to be, a fisher of men. In the time after His death, people were very scared to profess their faith. It is theorized that early Christians would use secret signs to ask if one was "Christian". (think-sandals were in style back then!)You would make a curved line in the sand or dust w/your toe or shoe tip. If the person was a "believer", they would make the opposing mark. Hence the symbol of a fish. Traitors and spy's soon figured this out.

Answer 7

It is one of the many things Christianity borrowed from pagan beliefs and reinterpreted as their own.

The early semitic diety Dagon was half man, half fish, like a merman. He was widely worshiped in Christ's time.

His symbol looked a lot like the fish emblem, except the pointy parts were on both sides, and there was a circle in the middle, like an eye.

http://www.magentastudios.com/sections/s1414986.html

For Christianity to compete, just like any modern corporation, they developed a similar logo.

Answer 8

The fish symbol was use by christians in times when they were persucuted to the extent of being put to death. One christian would draw half the fish in the ground while the other person, if they were also christian, would complete it. I am not completely sure about this, so please do not put too much faith in my answer.

Answer 9

the fish symbol is when the romans where persecuting the Cristian so the Christians could draw the symbol in the sand so they could hold secret meetings without the romans interfering.

Answer 10

After the death and resurrection of Christ, Christians were persecuted, and it was dangerous to identify yourself as such. So, the fish symbol was used as an identifyer between Christians.