The 4 Secrets Of The Ichtus Symbol | Ichthys

Understand christian symbols often requires going back further than the time when they were adapted to religion 🕵️‍♂️. The Ichthys / Ichtus where the symbol of fish is no exception to the rule.

This Christian symbol is believed to have existed for much longer than it was used solely in the Christian religion , and we'll explore how he's managed to evolve over time and become a really important piece of the puzzle.

We'll take a closer look at the origin of the symbol and the word, and how these two things could have allowed Christians to meet safely throughout a time when Christianity was outlawed.

1. ICHTHYS - ORIGIN OF THE SYMBOL

The original origin of symbol of fish was in fact in greek culture , in the first century AD. In fact, at that time, the symbol was used to represent fertility and was considered a pagan talisman . In fact, at that time, the symbol was used to mean "fish vessel" and the culture considered "fish" and "belly" to be roughly the same word 🐟.

As a result, the image of the fish was in fact a representation of the female sex organ and was used as a representation of all female goddesses and also women in the world at large.

The Christian symbol of the fish, better known at the time as Vesica Piscis , was used to represent the strength and power of the female gender ♀️.

It was used as an exclusive representation of women, the fertility and some sexuality . In fact, it is a well-known fact among many Christian scholars that this symbol was synonymous with the power of female fertility and the female body 👱‍♀️.

Although those who practice Christianity do not always understand the symbol origin , it has been repeatedly found in the old text and in what we know of the ancient world. In fact, familiarity with the symbol and its prevalence during this period were the main reasons the symbol was adapted as is.

2. ICHTHYS - GREEK ETYMOLOGY

Word " ichthys Is in fact a greek word 🇬🇷 for fish and was therefore adopted to accompany the symbol. You can also see in this symbol an inscription with Greek letters: IXNYY (with the inverted N) representing the acronym of:

• I - Iota or Iesous in Greek for Jesus
• X - Chi or Christos in Greek for Christ
• N - Theta or Theou in Greek for God
• Y - Upsilon or Yidos / Huios in Greek for sons
• Y - Sigma or Soter in Greek for Savior

These letters of the Greek alphabet represent the phrase " Jesus Christ, the Son of God is Savior "

A. ICHTHYS OR ICHTHUS?

The word itself has been seen spelled in several different ways, although the original Greek shows that it spelled either " ichthys " or " ichthus ". It seems, in the search for the greek language , that "ichthus" may be the most authentic version, although the two have been used interchangeably.

B. HOW TO PRONOUNCE "ICHTHYS"?

In ancient times this would have been pronounced by the Greeks as ICK-mille although it is more commonly pronounced as ICK-thees in more modern adaptations 🗣️. This is probably due to changes in general pronunciation in the Common English language compared to Ancient Greek.

3. THE FISH SYMBOL IN CHRISTIANITY

The fish has been associated with christianity for the first time around the second century AD, when it became a secret symbol used by Christians to meet 🤫. In fact, Christians felt that like Jesus was a " fisher of men The symbol was most appropriate to tell other Christians that they wanted to meet and to help them determine the time and place of the meeting.

The fish symbolism was also widely used in a number of early religions, churches, and organizations. As a result, it was the one that seemed safe for those who wanted their gathering to be kept secret .

A. THE FISH SYMBOL AS A CODE FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

In the 1st century, during the persecution roman Christians , the fish symbol was used by Christians secretly to indicate meeting places and worship. They could be seen on trees, gates or even graves. This symbol was also used by some pagan religions , so he didn't arouse any suspicion about what he really was 🤔.

Moreover, the ichthys symbol could be used to determine if someone else was a Christian or an enemy 👍🏻.

The Christians attracted the half of the fish in the sand and waited for the individual they were with to respond. If nothing happened, it meant that the other person was not a Christian, but the symbol in the sand looked like nothing. If the other person completed the image of the fish in the sand, then it was clear that she was also a Christian and the two could communicate safely 🙂.

Over time, however, the symbol became even more prominent in Christianity today. it is still used for symbolize a follower of Christianity , appearing on car stickers, bumper stickers, shirts and a number of mass market products. Christians use the symbol in different ways, and it has become the symbol of more than just a secret meeting.

Rather, it is a symbol of Christian beliefs and faith. It is a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ himself and many Christians believe it to be representative of much more than even the humble origins of its role in early Christianity 🙏🏻.

4. REFERENCE TO FISH

IN THE BIBLE (ICHTHYS)

When we look at the Bible we see a number of references to fish and their importance in the Christian faith. In fact, this symbol of Christianity appears in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, in several places in the Bible 📕.

This seems to make it even more obvious that the ichthys symbol has a great significance in the Christian faith and has always had a strong significance in the beliefs of the followers. In fact, each of these sections of Scripture shows how Jesus used the Christian fish to attract his followers and show them the power of himself and of God ✊🏻.

The specific Bible verses that mention the power of the fish in the bible and Christian faith are below:

And they said to Him: " We have only five loaves of bread and two fish here. "
He said: " Bring them here to me . "
Then He ordered the multitudes to sit on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fishes and looked up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
So they all ate and were filled, and they took twelve baskets full of the fragments that were left. Matthew 14: 17-20

But he answered and said to them: " Feed them. "And they said to him:" Are we going to buy two hundred denarii of bread and feed them? "
But he said to them: " How many loaves do you have? Go see. "And when they found out, they said:" Five and two fish. "
Then He ordered them to make them all sit in groups on the green grass.
So they sat down in rows, in hundreds and in fifties.
And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to put them before them; and the two fish which He divided among them all.

Mark 6: 37-41

But He said to them: " Feed them. "And they said:" We don't have more than five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we're going to buy food for all these people. "
For there were about five thousand men. . Then He said to His disciples: " Have them sit down in groups of fifty. "
And they did, and made them all sit down.
Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to put them before the multitude.
So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the remains of the fragments were taken by them. Luke 9: 13-17

" There's a boy here with five barley loaves and two little fish, but what are they among so many others ? "
So Jesus said: " Sit people down. “Now there was a lot of grass instead. So the men sat down in number of about five thousand.
And Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks, he distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were seated; and likewise fish, as much as they wanted.
So when they were filled, He said to His disciples: " Collect the remaining fragments, so that nothing is lost. " John 6: 9-12

Then he said to them: " Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. " Matthew 4:19

" Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered all kinds of them " Matthew 13:47

Then, as soon as they got ashore, they saw a coal fire, fish on it, and bread.
Jesus said to them: " Bring some of the fish you just caught. "
Simon Peter went up and dragged the net ashore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.
Jesus said to them: " Come and have lunch. Yet none of the disciples dared to ask him: " Who are you? - knowing that it was the Lord.
Then Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, as well as the fish.
This is now the third time that Jesus has shown himself to his disciples after having been raised from the dead. John 21: 9-14

🔍 Understanding the fish symbol and how it relates to the Christian faith helps us better understand the ancient aspect of faith and how followers have used it for centuries.

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