Meaning of Some of our Christian Symbols

You will find in this particular post a description of some of the most prevalent symbols in our churches . . . I've found it fascinating to learn that what is depicted in our stained glass windows and placed on our altars, etc., have very definite meanings. 
 

"Spiritual Gifts"

There are a number of symbols that we find used in the church which use the number seven. All of these symbols are taken to symbolize the seven spiritual gifts that were given to Christ and thus to all believers. Revelation speaks of these seven gifts as
power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing.

Many traditions believe that the spiritual gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit, as He wills, to whom He wills,  and where and when He wills . . . the gifts are then called charismatic gifts.

 

"Trumpet"

The trumpet is used to symbolize the calling of the faithful of God to worship. It is also used to
represent the resurrection and the day of judgment - - - the final trumpet call.

 

"Olive Branch"

Olive trees provide shelter and places of rest during the heat of the day, and olive oil is used for ointments and cooking.  he olive branch has come to symbolize peace, harmony and healing.

 

"Lamp"

In the ancient world a lamp was not merely a light for the darkness, but also a symbol of intelligence and learning.  Even today the lamp stands for wisdom and knowledge.

 

"Saint Nicholas"

The Festival of St. Nicholas is celebrated in many cultures on December 6th. Nicholas was a Bishop in what was then Turkey.  He was something of an anonymous Patron to the village he served, and went about doing things for those who were in need.
There is a beautiful story in our Legends of Christmas which tells of his providing dowries for a father with three daughters.  He was caught the third time as he tried to "slip in" to leave the gold coins. The Bishop swore the father to absolute secrecy for
as long as the Bishop lived. He was later canonized and became Saint Nicholas. "SANTA" is another way of spelling "SAINT" and "CLAUS" is the Dutch way of pronouncing the last part of St. Nicholas' name "CHOLAS".  From this we get the name "Santa Claus".

 

"Noah's Ark with Rainbow"

This is the most common symbol of the flood, and is also a symbol of the church since, in the Ark, all living creatures found refuge from great danger. When shown with the rainbow, as it is here, we understand the rainbow to represent God's covenant (promise) to His people that never again would he send the flood waters to destroy His creation. It is interesting to note that there are two aspects of the flood waters that we should be aware of; one being the danger represented and the fact that those inhabitants of the Ark were saved from the flood waters, and the other being that they were also saved by the flood waters as they lifted the tiny Ark higher and higher where it rode out the storm, safe from the dangers that were to be found beneath the Ark. The Ark is used as a symbol of the Church and the safety to be found within Her doors.

 

"Musical Instruments"

The depiction of musical instruments in the church reminds us of the praise of God and of so many of the Psalms, songs of King David,
including Psalm 150 which includes the words: "Praise the Lord with the sounds of the harp" and "Praise the Lord with the loud cymbals." Musical instruments have become a very popular tenant of many Christmas displays, just as music occupies a prominent place in
our worship, especially at Christmas!

 

"Shepherd's Crook"

The use of the shepherd's crook in this symbol calls to mind the Nativity of Jesus and the shepherds who gathered around the manger. The staff can also serve to remind us that Christ called Himself "The Good Shepherd".

 

"St. John The Baptist"

The birth of John the Baptist is celebrated rather than his death. The promise of John's birth was given to Zachariah as he was performing his duties as a priest in the Temple at Jerusalem. John was the immediate forerunner of Christ, telling people to prepare the way for the Lord's coming. His ministry was short but highly successful. In Christian art John the Baptist may be represented by a lamb on a book, by a lamb and a cross, by a head on a platter, or by a figure of a man, dressed in a camel's hair coat.

 

"Scallop Shell with Water Droplets"

The Scallop Shell with three drops of water is one of many symbols used to represent the Sacrament of Baptism. It is used to signify both Jesus' baptism and ours. There is nothing specific in scripture about the use of a shell , but some ancient art depicts John the Baptist holding a shell from which he poured water over the head of Jesus when he was baptizing him.
Several denominations today, including United Methodism, permit the use of an actual seashell in the Sacrament.  The three droplets of water are representative of the Trinity and our baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

"Christ The Vine"

This symbol represents Christ, who tells us in John 15 "I am the vine, you are the branches." We use this symbol to represent the close union of Christ and the members of His church. We know that a branch thrives when it is close to the root and the stem of the plant, and so, too, do we grow and thrive when we remain close to the fellowship of the church and when we worship and pray and read God's Word.

 

"Cornerstone"

The cornerstone with the abbreviations of the Greek words for Jesus on the edges is representative of Him who was,  in Ephesians 2:20, declared to be the chief cornerstone of the Kingdom of God.

 

"Christmas Rose"

The rose has been widely used to symbolize a number of things, including the nativity; the Virgin Mary (white); martyrdom (red);  on the cross to represent the death of Christ. The rose also symbolizes love and reminds us during Advent of the words in John:3:16.
The Christmas Rose is a hardy white rose that blooms at Christmastime!

 

"Fig Tree"

The fig tree is a symbol of faithfulness and fruitfulness. It is also the symbol for St. Bartholomew.

 

"Open Bible"

An open book, often seen in religious art, books, publications and churches, refers to the Holy Bible, the Word of God.   The open book symbolizes the accessibility of the Word throughout most of the world.

 

"Descending Dove" "Flames"

The descending dove is one of the most familiar and usual symbols of Baptism. The flame, sometimes shown as seven flames, also forms a common symbol of the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit rested, not unlike "tongues of fire", on the followers of Christ,

 

"Shepherd and Lamb"

This symbol , seen so often in religious art, is also found in the catacombs of the ruins of ancient Rome. It calls to mind  the loving care of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

 

"Alpha and Omega"

The symbols representing the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet are grouped together here - - - Alpha and Omega - - - symbolize Jesus as the First and Last, the Beginning and the End, The Author and Finisher of all things. It is also understood to be a symbol of the eternal and unchangeable presence of Christ in our lives.

 

"Lion and Lamb"

The Lion and the Lamb lying peacefully together, as shown on our cover, is one of the most beautiful symbols of peace in all of Christian Symbolism. The symbol is based on a passage in Isaiah Chapter 11 in which the kingdom of the Messiah is described in which
all inhabitants of the earth will live in peace and harmony. (Isaiah 11:1-16)

 

"Candles"

Candles have come to be an important part of Advent decorations as they symbolize the Light of the World, which is Jesus, come among us. Lighted candles occupy a prominent place as well in our worship all year round, representing Jesus' own words as recorded in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. They also suggest the twofold nature of Christ when displayed in pairs - - - the human and the divine.

 

"Cross" "IHS" "Chi Rho"

The cross is one of the most beloved symbols of Christianity of all of them, despite its being one of the cruelest means of death ever devised. There are dozens and dozens of different crosses that are used throughout the church. The one most often seen on Protestant altars is the Calvary  Cross, sometimes also called the Graded Cross because of the three "steps" on which it stands.   The letters "IHS" are often seen on crosses in our churches. They represent the first three letters of the word "Jesus" in Greek.  The Chi Rho symbol is an ancient monogram of Christ and is often found on altars, book marks, and stoles. The most usual form consists of the P within the X and has been in use for at least 1600 years.

 

"Angel"

There are many, many depictions of angels throughout the church, history, and currently in personal use by lots of people.   Angels have traditionally been seen in the roles of messengers in most of the major religions. They are sent to "stand in the gap" between God and humankind.  Throughout the BIBLE there are accounts of occasions on which God sent an angel as the bearer of His message to  someone in need or in fear. An angel appeared to Joseph to calm his fears about marrying Mary - - - an angel appeared to Mary to announce the impending birth of the Son of God and to calm her fears . . . an angel appeared to Zechariah  to announce the coming birth of John the Baptist and to tell Zechariah what the baby's name was to be - - - angels play a  prominent part in the history of the Christian church. The "Herald Angel" appears with right hand raised in benediction as a symbol of the Nativity.

 

"Madonna" (Mary)

The figure of Mary, mother of Jesus, is one that is familiar to all of us, possibly more so to Roman Catholics.  The "Madonna" represents the motherhood of Mary. It is not hard to call to mind the image of a young mother with her first  child . . . and when we remember the circumstances of Mary's motherhood of Jesus, the Incarnation and Immaculate Conception,
we understand anew the awe and wonder and mystery of the birth of our Lord.

 

"Manger"

The manger is a wonderful symbol for we immediately remember the details of the Nativity of our Lord --- the shepherds on the hillside - - - the angels rejoicing at the birth - - - the innkeeper and the "no room" in the inn on that Holy Night - - - and we remember the animals which must have been present at the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem - - - the smells and sounds of the barn - - - the borrowed crib - - -

 

"The Infant Christ" "Holy Family"

The infant Christ and the Holy Family are two symbols that bring to mind all the wonder and glory of the Christmas story . . . the love of Mary and of Joseph . . . the wonder that is always present in the countenance of a newborn baby and the adoring parents. Since God chose to come to earth as a tiny Babe, we can safely assume that Mary and Joseph were much like any
other parents experiencing the birth of their first child. The Holy Family was in every sense a real family, and no doubt experienced  all the joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments, victories and defeats, etc. that are experienced by any family.

 

"Fruits of the Spirit"

There are numerous depictions of the nine fruits of the Spirit. One of the most frequently used is a nine-pointed star with each point containing the initial of the Latin words for each one of the gifts.

 

"Bells"

Bells are used in the church to signify the calling of the faithful to worship. Bells have often been used to call people from one task or activity to another, and when used to call God's people to worship, they can be seen to symbolize the need for prioritizing our lives so that the things of God occupy a higher position than the things of the world.

 

"House on a Rock"

Sometimes a house or a church is shown sitting atop a sturdy rock (reminiscent of the Rock of Gibraltar) and we are thus reminded of secure foundations for our faith, the safety of the church and the wisdom of building our homes on solid ground rather than shifting
sand and of building our lives by faith in God and in His Son our Savior who is often described as the rock of faith against which the very gates of Hell shall not prevail!

 

"Ichthys" "Pelican-in-Her-Piety" "Ship"

The fish, Ichthys in Greek, is one of the symbols used to represent Jesus Christ. It is not used primarily to remind us that fish and fishing were part of Jesus' life so much as it is used because the word can form a sort of rebus or puzzle which helps us make
a statement of faith. The word is made up of five letters of the Greek alphabet - i-ch-th-y-s. The five letters become initials for the five words which say: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. The Pelican is a symbol of atonement - - - "at-one-ment". The pelican has long been believed to sacrifice her own blood if necessary to feed her young. The ship has long been understood to represent the church .

 

"Wise Men Heading to Bethlehem"

This is something of a self-explanatory symbol, for who among us does not remember the story of the visit of the Wise Men to the Infant Jesus? We have but to see the silhouettes of the Magi and the outline of the little town of Bethlehem in the distance to remember the story we love so much, not only the visit of the three kings, but the entire Christmas story!

 

"The Keys"

When keys are displayed as a symbol in the church, several meanings can be implied. Isaiah mentions the "key of the house of David," meaning the Church. Christ refers to Himself the power of this key and we learn that whoever controls the key controls the entire house. We understand this to symbolize our Lord's being in charge of His church, with all power to forgive and retain sins and thus
open and shut the doors of heaven itself.

 

"Butterfly"
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The butterfly symbolizes new life and the Resurrection of Jesus. It is one of the most beautiful symbols we have to depict new life in Christ. The life of a butterfly, as brief as it is, is lived in three distinguishable stages - - - larva or caterpillar stage, chrysalis or cocoon stage, and finally the mature butterfly.

 

"Anchor of Hope"

The anchor symbolizes the hope of Christians concerning those who have gone on to be with the Father, and has been seen for years and years and years on the tombstones in old church cemeteries, which are, by the way, excellent places to observe the depiction of many Christian symbols. The anchor symbolizes hope for the living as well as the dead.
Christian hope gives stability and support amid the tumult and turmoil of life.

 

"Triquetra"

The triquetra is an early symbol of the Holy Trinity. It is but one among many, many symbols for the Trinity (others include the equilateral triangle, the trefoil, the shamrock, the fleur-de-lis, three intertwined circles, and many others.)  The three equal arcs of the triquetra (pronounced "try-ket-truh") symbolize eternity in their continuous form;  indivisibility in their interweaving, and the center of the intertwined arcs forms a triangle, the ancient symbol of the Trinity.  The number three usually symbolizes the Holy Trinity wherever it appears .

 

"Hand of God"

The hand of God is depicted in a number of ways in Christian Symbolism. It can be seen pointing upwards with three fingers extended,  suggesting the Holy Trinity; pointing downward holding people, suggesting the souls of the righteous in the hand of God; and pointing downward with open palm, suggesting the Father as creator of all things. In the symbol shown here there is a "halo"
effect (called a "tri-radiant nimbus) suggesting that the hand is the hand of the Divine.

 

"Chalice, Grapes, Wheat (loaf) and Cross"

The chalice or cup is a symbol of the blood of Christ and is a prominent part of Holy Communion. Grapes also are a commonly seen symbol of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. A loaf, or heads of wheat, symbolize the bread of Life and are also part of elements used in Holy Communion. The bread is also representative of the Body of Christ.  The Cross, whenever it is seen, reminds us of the death of Christ to atone for our sins.

 

"Star" "Gifts" "Three Kings"

Stars are used in many different forms in many different applications. The general meaning attached to the star is that of the manifestation, or revealing, of Jesus to the Gentiles.

The pictures of three Wise Men and three gifts represent both the first gifts given to the Holy Child and the Wise Men themselves.
The number "three" (three Wise Men, three gifts) is significant and represents the Trinity - - -
God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.