The Apostle's Creed - Part 2

 God the Son, more commonly known as Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. The second part of the Apostle's Creed is the largest part of the creed. This makes sense as we know more about Christ, as He had come down for our salvation, more on that in a bit. As the title of the creed goes, it has it's origins in the direct teachings of the Apostle's to their disciples and the various churches that they had established and taught to through-out the known world. They had complied their teachings in a simple manner to convey the truth. The truth that is as it pertains to Jesus Christ.

Apostle's Creed - Part 2

"And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary. Suffered under Pontius Pilate: was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell: the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven: sitteth at the right had of God the Father Almighty. From Thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead."

Of the twelve article of the Apostles Creed, six of them pertain to Christ. They briefly describe the natures of Christ, His divinity to include His position in the Most Holy Trinity, His salvific acts, a placement in history, and His role when it comes to the judgement of Mankind upon our death, and at the time of the Second Coming. 

"And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord"

This article of the Creed teaches us a few things about the divine nature of Christ. First it teaches us that Christ is truly divine, being of the same substance as of the Father. This is understood to be as like can only come from like. Being of the same substance, in Module Two you will learn about "consubstantiality", we can know that Christ, like the Father, is eternal, omnipotent, Creator and Lord. Even though Sacred Scripture calls us sons and daughters of God the Father, Jesus Christ is called the only Son of the Father due to Him being of the same nature; we are sons and daughters by adoption.

"Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary"

This article pertains to the other nature of Jesus Christ, His human nature. He has two natures, fully God and fully Man, in the one Person of Jesus Christ. Honestly, nearly 60% of the Churches ecumenical councils were on this topic alone, so it can be more difficult to understand than at face value. We will expand in depth in the second and third modules in different way to help you understand this concept. 

This process as stated above in the article of the Creed, is what we call the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God Incarnate. We say that He was conceived by the Holy Ghost because it is an act of goodness and love; both of which are attributed to God the Holy Ghost. 

With Christ being God Incarnate, and born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she then gains a title "Mother of God" simply because she is the mother of Jesus Christ, who is God. We will go more in-depth in Module Two as to how she remained a virgin even though she gave birth.

"Suffered under Pontius Pilate: was crucified, dead, and buried"

This article of the Creed teaches us about the reason that Christ became Incarnated and took on the nature of humanity. He took on our nature, while retaining His Divine nature, to redeem the world. To sacrifice Himself, and in the process fulfilling even more biblical prophesies that foretold of His coming, allowing us to come to the Father, through the Son. This also explains and further shows that He has a human nature, one that allowed Him to suffer and die to redeem us.

"He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead"

This is what is commonly called "The Harrowing of Hell". Christ having just died on the Cross, and was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, He descended to what was commonly referred to as the Bosom of Abraham. This was maintained as the place where the souls of the righteous, who died awaiting the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilling the promise of the Messiah, came and took them to Heaven with Him.

Three days later, He rose from the dead. This is an important thing to notice, mainly that He rose of His own power meaning the power of God. This is different than the other resurrections seen through out the bible, Old and New Testament alike. Other people have been resurrected, by other people through the power of God, but Christ being God resurrected Himself, no one else rose Him. 

"He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty"

This moment speaks to the Ascension of Christ, which took place 40 days after Pascha, called Easter in many English nations Pascha elsewhere, and 10 days prior to the event of Pentecost. The term Ascension is important to denote the origin of the act, as many people can and have confused assumption with ascension. Moses, Enoch, and Elijah all were assumed in the Old Testament, and as Sacred Tradition holds the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed as well. The principle difference in assumption vs ascension is the person ascending does so under their own power, those assumed were taken up by the power of God.

His position at the right hand of God the Father is denoted to show the immense honor placed on Jesus Christ, by both being the Son of God and being the Redeemer of Man.

"From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead."

This article pertains to the right of office that belongs to the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. As he sits at the right hand of the Father Almighty, He will dispense the judgment upon a person at their death, and at the Second Coming. From this judgement they will either be punished or rewarded. This is for justices sake. The righteous will be glorified for the glory of Jesus Christ, and of God the Father, and God the Holy Ghost. Their actions in following Christ in His teachings, believing and doing as commanded, and with the infusion of Gods grace they are made righteous. The wicked will be punished, not only for their actions against God, but for their actions against their fellow Man.