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| About the History of the Christian Fish Symbol |
By:
Akili Kumasi |
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In recent years the Christian Fish Symbol can be seen affixed to the back of cars, as key chains and in other very visible locations as Christians use it to demonstrate to the world that they are believers in the only one true God.
The Origin of the Christian Fish Symbol
The origin of the popular Christian Fish Symbol is believed to have been in the early years of the church after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Because the church was growing rapidly it was the target of persecution by both the Romans and the Jews.
One usage of the symbol was as a sort of secret code. When a Christian met someone they thought was a fellow believer they would scratch the top arch of the symbol in the ground. If the other person was also a believer in Christ he would complete the fish symbol by drawing the lower inverted arch.
Another reported use for the Christian Fish Symbol in the early church was as a pointer to secret meetings which would be scratched on the ground or on a rock.
Sixteenth Century Christians
In later times (around the 16th Century) Christians used the symbol in a more open and declarative fashion. The Greek word ΙΧΘΥΣ was added to the body of the fish. ΙΧΘΥΣ or Ichthusis is the Greek word used most often in the Bible for the word fish. Christians used the Greek letters from the word ΙΧΘΥΣ (Iota Chi Theta Upsilon Sigma) as an acronym to represent “Isesous Christos Theou Uios Soter” or “Jesus Christ God’s Son, Savior.”
Why Christians Use the Symbol of a Fish?
Christians may have used the fish as a symbol for their faith because of how Jesus used fish in His ministry. Some of those references include the following: Jesus told Peter and Andrew that He would make them fishers of men (Mark 1:17). Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:17). After Jesus resurrection, He appeared to His disciples and directed them to a miraculous catch of fish and He cooked a breakfast of fish for them (John 21:6-9).
Christians Today
Christians today represent the Christian Fish Symbol in various ways including: the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ, with a cross, with JESUS in the body of the fish or just plan without any letters.
The GIL PUBLICATIONS Logo
GIL PUBLICATIONS has taken the Christian Fish Symbol as our logo and added the word love because of our ministry name, God is Love (I John 4:8, 16). Also, we want to draw attention to love because we believe that the world needs the kind of love that God commanded us to give to one another.
We believe in the Power of God’s Love as explained in the three examples below:
1. God’s Love at Calvary
God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son (John 3:16). It is because of God’s love and what He did for us at Calvary that our sins are forgiven and we will have eternal life in Heaven.
2. God’s Love in the Resurrection
In Ephesians 1:18-20 Paul prayed that we would know his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…
What God did, He did out of love and because of it we can overcome the world, that’s the Power of God’s love at work.
Read below to see how God wants us to translate His love into everyday living.
3. God’s Love as Guidelines for Living
God commanded us to love one another. He said:
o Love God (Mark 12:29-31; Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
o Love your brother (1 John 4:19-21)
o Love your enemy (Matthew 5:44)
o Love your neighbor (James 2:8; Galatians 5:14; Luke 10:27)
God gave us guidelines for loving when He defined love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. This is what makes us conclude that To Love is to Give because you cannot live according to this scripture without giving of yourself.
Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
Love never fails.
We believe that when we follow God’s command to love in the way that He said to love then we have indeed made the world a better place to live. As Christians we need to encourage one another to love as Christ loved by giving of Himself. Therefore, GIL PUBLICATIONS logo of the Christian Fish Symbol is also a call to Christians to love as Christ said to love and for us to use the power of His love to overcome the world as He did (John 16:33).
The Power of God’s Love is without limit. Paul further prayed that we may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God ... (Ephesians 3:18-19 NIV).
To be filled with the fullness of God … can you imagine that?
This article may be copied and distributed as long as the author contact information remains.
By: Akili Kumasi
GIL Publications.com
Akili Kumasi is the President of GIL Publications (http://www.gilpublications.com) and the author of numerous articles and books including the Bible Word Search Book Series (puzzles with scripture), Fun Meals for Fathers and Sons: Recipes & Activities for Bonding & Mentoring and On the Outside Looking in: Hope for Separated Fathers Who Want To Be Good Fathers. For book-signing or speaking engagements, Akili can be reached at kumasi@gilpublications.com. |
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