“What’s that ‘Christian fish’ thing that I see on the back of people’s cars?”
Sometimes it looks like this,
And other times it has weird Greek letters in it,
This symbol is a fish. The Greek word for fish in English would be “Ichthys” (ick-thoos’). After Jesus’ ascension back into
heaven, during the first 400 years or so of Christian Church growth, it was illegal under Roman rule to be a Christian.
There was severe persecution of Christians which resulted in death, imprisonment, separation from family, loss of job or
property, etc. Christians met in “underground” gatherings; meeting in secret to pray and read the Scriptures together.
If a Christian would encounter a stranger on the streets, and if he wanted to know if the stranger was a Christian too, the
Christian would swipe his foot along the ground to create the first half of the fish shape in the dirt. This was done
casually, and if the stranger wasn’t a Christian then he wouldn’t pay any attention to it. But, if the stranger was also a
Christian then he would swipe the second line in the dirt, forming the completed fish shape. Then, they knew they could
talk together about Jesus and discuss where the local church was gathering next. Through the ages this symbol has
come to identify a person as Christian.
What about those Greek letters?
In the Ichthys, we see Greek letters, ΙΧΘΥΣ
I – Iota EYE-OH-TA Jesus
X – Chi KAAI (like “kite”) Christ
Θ – Theta THEI-TA God
Y – Upsilon OOPS-ILL-ON Son
E – Sigma SIG-MA Savior
Jesus has many titles; many names that describe who He is and what He does. For example, Mark 1:1 says, “The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Gospel: good news. Jesus’ “good news” challenged the Roman
imperial propaganda of the day, which claimed good tidings and peace under Caesar’s rule. The good news of Jesus is
far superior and true. Mark 1:1 using, “Jesus Christ, the Son of God” doubles the term, heightening the meaning; putting
Jesus in a unique category all His own.
Jesus: Jehovah is salvation, or, “God saves”. This is what He does.
Christ: Anointed, or “Anointed One”. This is His office.
Immanuel: God with us. This is who He is.
Son of God: Regarding His incarnate (in the flesh) human nature. Affirms His relationship with the Father.
Jesus desires that He become your identity. This means to deny the identity that you cling to now, in order to embrace
Him as the greatest focus of your life; aiming to follow Him, know Him more, and become like Him!
