According to “Symbols: Signposts of Devotion,” by Dr. Ratha Doyle McGee, the connection between the symbol of fish and scriptures is “somewhat obscure.”  It might connect to the story in Luke Chapter 24 where Jesus is eating a piece of fish after the resurrection. The author also points out “The fish was used as a method of conveying a message to another Christian without the message being understood by the Roman police.” Upon meeting another person, a Christian would draw a curved line in the sand and the other person, if a Christian, would draw another curved line opposite the first which made a rough outline of a fish. Thus each Christian could relax and talk freely about their faith.

Also, Dr. McGee wrote that each Greek letter in the word for fish (Icthus) could stand for a word in the sentence: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. 

Iota=Iesous or Jesus    

Chi=Khristos or Anointed     

Theou=of God   

Uios=Son   

Soter=Savior

So in this context, the word for fish in the original Greek, corresponded to the Church’s understanding of who Jesus of Nazareth actually is.

In the book “Understanding Early Christian Art,” Dr. Robin Margaret Jensen found in her research a connection so strong between the fish symbol and baptism, it “begins to become impossible to factor them out.” She goes on to point out “Beginning in the fourth century, western baptismal fonts were often called ‘fish ponds.’

The symbol of a fish has a strong background in Christianity which might be worth discovering again. It, like other symbols of our faith, is a meaning-filled representation of our commitment to and trust in Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

In the 1970’s, in California, during the “Jesus Revolution” many Christians placed a small fish decal somewhere on their automobiles as a witness of their commitment to Christ. For some, the motivation for placing the decal on their car may have been from peer pressure. For others placing a fish on his/her car was a serious matter. From then on, he/she had to reflect Christ in their driving and in their life. 

These days one might see an occasional car with a fish or the word Jesus lettered in a way to resemble a fish. If more Christians had fish decals on their cars, would that make a difference in our country and in our world? If interested, look online. There are Jesus/Fish decals available on eBay and Amazon to name a few.