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<>< Christian fish sign <><

Hi Reena Jain, Welcome

Reena Jain said:
I am hearing of this for the first time ( Sorry for being Naive).
Click to expand...

Second-century theologian Tertullian put it this way: "we, little fishes, after the image of our Ichthys, Jesus Christ, are born in the water."

Here's a rather romantic idea about the history of the fish symbol...

" When threatened by Romans in the first centuries after Christ, Christians used the fish mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes. According to one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger in the road, the Christian sometimes drew one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpert/oct26.html

Have a blessed day.
 
Deborah13 said:
Hi Reena Jain, Welcome



Second-century theologian Tertullian put it this way: "we, little fishes, after the image of our Ichthys, Jesus Christ, are born in the water."

Here's a rather romantic idea about the history of the fish symbol...

" When threatened by Romans in the first centuries after Christ, Christians used the fish mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes. According to one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger in the road, the Christian sometimes drew one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpert/oct26.html

Have a blessed day.
Click to expand...

Deborah13:

Good account of the history of the Christian fish sign! :)

Blessings.
 
Corey said:
Yes. Although, like mentioned above, some jewlery may not have the same impact as a fish. Wearing a cross on a necklace may not necessarily mean you are a Christian. I think it has become somewhat of a fashion statment for some poeple and those people may not even say they are a Christian if they were asked. But anyone wearing the fish may be more likely to be a Christian. I could be wrong though.

To be clear though: In no way am I saying that anyone wearing a cross on a necklace is not a Christian or is only doing it for fashion.
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Corey:

PS: Do you think that precisely because less people recognize a Christian fish sign <>< compared to a cross, they are more likely to ask the wearer what it is? i.e., a good opportunity for testimony.

Blessings.
 
View attachment 3668

The Greek spelling for ichthus is View attachment 3669

These are the first letters of the Greek words Iesous (Iota), Christos (Chi), Theou (Theta), Uios (Upsilon), and Sotor (Sigma). The English translation is IXOYE. The five Greek wordstand for the English words meaning, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" or "Jesus Christ God's Son Savior".

quoted from The History of the Ichthus written by Gregory B. Dill, retrieved 11/03/2013
 
Sparrowhawke said:
View attachment 3668

The Greek spelling for ichthus is View attachment 3669
These are the first letters of the Greek words Iesous (Iota), Christos (Chi), Theou (Theta), Uios (Upsilon), and Sotor (Sigma). The English translation is IXOYE. The five Greek wordstand for the English words meaning, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" or "Jesus Christ God's Son Savior".

quoted from The History of the Ichthus written by Gregory B. Dill, retrieved 11/03/2013
Click to expand...

Well stated; ty. :)

Blessings.
 
farouk said:
So folks the Christian fish sign <>< dates from the early days of Christianity when Christians would trace in the dust a fish sign that spelt 'fish' in Greek, the acrostic meaning 'Jesus Christ Son of God'.

Today this is used by Christians still for pendants and other jewelry, bumper stickers and car badges, tattoos (no, this doesn't have to be another tattoo thread) and other signs and banners.

It can be effective as a conversation-starter, both among professing Christians that do not yet know each other and also in an evangelistic way.

So does anyone have or use the Christian fish sign in such a way?

Blessings.
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I have heard (not verified) that the fish symbol was used during the time of the catacombs. It was a sign that a person was a Christian. One person would draw on of the arcs of the fish and if the other one drew the arc that finished the fish it meant they were Christians and not some infiltrator wanting to know who the Christians were so they could persecute them. It makes since. They would not use a cross back then. It was a loathed and feared symbol.
 
Sandy Zalecki said:
I have heard (not verified) that the fish symbol was used during the time of the catacombs. It was a sign that a person was a Christian. One person would draw on of the arcs of the fish and if the other one drew the arc that finished the fish it meant they were Christians and not some infiltrator wanting to know who the Christians were so they could persecute them. It makes since. They would not use a cross back then. It was a loathed and feared symbol.
Click to expand...

The fish sign is also used today as a tattoo, among other usages.

Blessings.
 
Sparrowhawke said:
View attachment 3668

The Greek spelling for ichthus is View attachment 3669
These are the first letters of the Greek words Iesous (Iota), Christos (Chi), Theou (Theta), Uios (Upsilon), and Sotor (Sigma). The English translation is IXOYE. The five Greek wordstand for the English words meaning, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" or "Jesus Christ God's Son Savior".

quoted from The History of the Ichthus written by Gregory B. Dill, retrieved 11/03/2013
Click to expand...
The first symbol in that graphic is on the wall in my church. I knew the letters were Greek, but forgot what they meant.
 
Christ_Ian said:
Don't use it as a conversation starter but I do have an embossed version of the fish on the back of my car. I've always wanted to know though, does it matter which way the fish is pointing?
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Not unless it has legs. If it's standing up, kill it. If the legs are pointing up then it's already dead. Don't bother.
:D
 
Lost my 'fish ' necklace years ago..... It kinda went with the 'zigzag' looking picture of Jesus...
 
Deborah13 said:
Hi Reena Jain, Welcome



Second-century theologian Tertullian put it this way: "we, little fishes, after the image of our Ichthys, Jesus Christ, are born in the water."

Here's a rather romantic idea about the history of the fish symbol...

" When threatened by Romans in the first centuries after Christ, Christians used the fish mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes. According to one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger in the road, the Christian sometimes drew one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpert/oct26.html

Have a blessed day.
Click to expand...

this was wonderful! I never knew where it originated:) I know today, in a grocery store or somewhere out in public, I usually manage to mention God, then if it's another believer, we get in a good conversation sometimes. Also, if someone is hurting or searching, they might want to talk to someone who has hope;) denise, ysic
 
celebratejesus said:
this was wonderful! I never knew where it originated:) I know today, in a grocery store or somewhere out in public, I usually manage to mention God, then if it's another believer, we get in a good conversation sometimes. Also, if someone is hurting or searching, they might want to talk to someone who has hope;) denise, ysic
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a winsome conversational manner with people which helps a lot, too.

Some Christians don't have this quality so much and so some kind of graphic, such as a fish sign <><, can prove helpful also, I guess.

Blessings.
 
farouk said:
Sounds like you have a winsome conversational manner with people which helps a lot, too.

Some Christians don't have this quality so much and so some kind of graphic, such as a fish sign <><, can prove helpful also, I guess.

Blessings.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I have that but it's a gift from God if I do, all glory to Him. I think it is part of how He uses me. My sister is the opposite in many ways, of me. I am outgoing, never meet a stranger. I'll laugh outloud in a crowd of people, and have no embarrassment about it(always laughing at myself about something stupid I do). My sis is very reserved, and can't walk up and ask anyone for help. Me, I just jump at the chance to talk to others. I also love my privacy too though.

I went to a super store, where you bag your own groceries?? I had bought a few small packages of frozen fish. I started to fill my bags and picked up a fish pack (the ones with like a blue stirofoam bottom?) and it had a blue cover on top and bottom?? I was stumped, where did that come from and what was it?? I finally realized two packages were stuck together, LOL! I didn't try to hide what I'd done, I had to laugh out loud and tell everyone around me, LOL! I had a few people laughing along with me:)
 
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