What does it mean?
The fish symbol is the earliest of
Christian symbols and was the most common representation of Jesus
Christ from the second through the fourth centuries.
Why is the fish
meaningful to Christians?
The Bible relates a number of accounts
where fish were a significant aspect of Jesus' ministry. On one
occasion (Matthew 14:19), Jesus served several thousand families with
a meal of bread and fish. On another occasion (Matthew 4:19), Jesus
called Peter and Andrew, saying, "Follow me and I will make you
fishers of men."
Many early Christians were persecuted
and forced to worship secretly. The fish symbol served as a secret
form of communication. Often the persecuted Christians would scratch
this symbol on the ground to identify themselves to fellow believers.
Soon, Christians began to attach
meaning to the word "fish" itself. The Greek letters for
ichthus (meaning "fish", pronounced "ICK-THOOS")
became an acronym: I=Jesus; X=Christ; O=God's; Y=Son; E=Savior.
Today, the person who displays the fish
symbol has accepted the same New Testament teaching that these early
Christians accepted: that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. By a
decision of faith, this person has entered into a personal
relationship with God and knows the reality of God's forgiveness.
"That if you confess with your
mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised Him
from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9, NIV).
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