About Icthus
What is the meaning of the Christian fish symbol?
The Christian fish symbol was used by Christians during the first few centuries A.D. as a secret symbol, because to openly declare your self a believer in Jesus Christ could mean persecution or death. A person could nonchalantly make a half circle with his foot and watch to see if the other person would recognize the symbol and complete the other half of the fish.
The Christian fish symbol was also used to mark places that were safe for Christians to be, such a home or business that was owned by a Christian. Using the Christian fish symbol could save a person a lot of trouble in those days, and even now it is used by believers living in countries where followers of Christ are persecuted.
Why is it called an "Icthus" fish symbol?
The word for fish in Greek is "icthus", and since Greek as the main language of commerce in those days, the fish has continued to be called by its Geek name. Since many people are familiar with the icthus fish symbol and its association with Christianity, the use of the word "icthus" can also be used as a codes word among Christians.
What is the proper spelling and pronunciation of "icthus"?
You may have seen IXOYE spelled in one of these ways; ixthus, icthus, ichthus, icthuse, icthys, ikhthus or ichthys. How can we end up with so many variations of spelling? The Greek spelling of icthus in the Latin alphabet is IXOYE, the individual characters Iota, Chi, Theta, Upsilon and Sigma. These letters have been translated in various ways into the Latin alphabet to try and help with pronunciation. The problem is that Greek has changed over the years and various dialects pronounce the original characters in different ways. For example, the letter X which is called Chi, has at times been spoken as as "ch" sound like in chicken, and at other times it has been pronounced as "ick" like in "sick. The Upsilon is normally pronounced "oo", as in shoe, but some will say it with an "ih" sound, like in stick. So when it is pronounced incorrectly, it follows that it will be occasionally spelled incorrectly.
According to Greek interlinear bibles and other study tools, the proper spelling in the Latin alphabet is "ichthus". However, the proper pronunciation agreed upon by the majority of scholars is "ik-thoos", not "ich-thoos". So obviously there is a bit of room for debate as to which is the more practical spelling or proper pronunciation.
The theology of the Icthys symbol
The Greek letters that make of the word for fish are IXOYE, and they form an acronym that has also been associated with this symbol. Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter', which is translated as 'Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior'
I h s o u V - Jesus
C r i s t o V - Christ
Q e o u - God's
U i o V - Son
S w t h r -- Savior
Another common theological acronym or the work of Christ on the cross is INRI, which is based on the words Pontius Pilate wrote on the cross above Jesus’ head. Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm. 'J' is rendered as I in Greek, so 'INRI', stands for (I) Jesus (of) (N) Nazareth, (R)Rex (king) (of the) (I) Jews. John 19:19-22
The pagan use of the fish symbol.
Some people claim that the Christians did not invent the use of the fish symbol, but the fish symbol has been used in many cultures as a symbol of fertility or a pagan god of fertility. There certainly is plenty to evidence in scripture and historical record that the fish has been a sign or fertility. Pagan gods and goddesses that could be associated with the fish symbol include Aphrodite Salacia and Themis of the Greeks, Freya of Norwegian belief, Isis of Egypt and great mother kwan-yin of China. The fish is known for laying an immense amount of eggs, therefore it has been used as a symbol of fertility by many pagan religions to this day.
If the Christians used a symbol that was already in existence, it seems they were very clever. Assigning new meaning to an old symbol could only make the symbol that much more innocent to the uninformed. We have done the same thing with the Christian cross symbol, taking an instrument of pain and torture, and place of death, and attaching new meaning to it. When a person wears a cross on their necklace or some other form of jewelry, he is certainly not promoting capital punishment by excruciating pain. No, when a Christian sees an empty cross, he is reminded that it was on the cross that Jesus Christ died, as the Lamb of God whose blood sacrifice was accepted by God as payment for our sins. He rose again from the grave in victory over sin and death and we look to him by faith for our own salvation and eternal life.
The Darwin Fish Symbol
Many atheists have enjoyed picking on the Christian fish symbol, buy making up auto emblems that have the Christian Fish symbol with legs on it, as if the fish were walking out of the water onto land. Christians have responded by buying these fish and mounting them on their cars belly up, floating like a dead fish with the feet up, to show that Darwin's theory of evolution is dead.
The most popular fish sticker battle of the auto emblems is the Truth fish eating a Darwin fish. Certainly the Scopes trial gave the evolutionists a jump start I the debate, as the pastor defending Christianity had only faith to stand on. Since then Christians have gone to work and put the evolutionist on the defensive, as there is no end of scientific proof for creation and intelligent design. Darwin's original theory of evolution has been abandoned by all, but new forms of Darwinian theories keep springing up.