T H E C R E E D PART 1
I. INTRODUCTION
Any religion in the world have their own system of religious belief with a precise formula of doctrine used to secure uniformity in teaching, be it Christian or non-Christian religion. It is an authoritative and formulated statement of what to believe based on the teachings of their founder. This is also true to our Christian religion founded by Christ whose adherents now reach to more than one billion in the world today.
II. DERIVATIVES
Latin Credo / old English Creda / English Creed
Mk 1:14-15 - “Believe the good news.”
Greek - “Metanoêite Kai Pisteuete to Evaggelio”
- rootword of “Pisteuete” is “Pistis” which means “faith”
Latin - “Poenitemini et Credite Evangelio”; verb as “credere” which means “to believe”
III. DEFINITION
Creed is an authoritative, formulated statement of the chief articles of Christian belief, like the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, or the creed of Pope Pius IV. In general, it is a summary or profession of what one believes.
2Cor 4:13 - “But having the same spirit of the faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke’, we also believe, therefore also we speak.” (GNB)
IV. CHRIST IS THE ORIGINATOR OF THE CREED AND OUR BELIEF
When Christ said, “Believe in the Gospel, believe in the Good News” (Mk 1:14-15), this is the call of Christ himself for an act of faith which believes this word or message which Jesus is the official herald. The Latin word for believing for responding such a call for faith is “credere; credo domini”, “O Lord I believe” for which credo or creed is derived. Pope Paul VI calls the creed of immortal tradition of the Holy Church of God because before the complete compilation of the Bible in 405 A.D., when heretical teachings arises like those of Arius, Marcellus, and Nestorius, the Christian leaders consulted the faith the Apostles handed as official teachings of the Church as their basis.
Jesus Christ in his teaching and commandment to the Apostles, emphasizes the necessity of believing or credo.
Mk 6:6 - “And he wondered at their belief, and he was going around the villages teaching.”
Mt 9:22 - “Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, ‘Courage, my daughter! Your faith has made you well.’ At that very moment the woman became well.” (GNB)
Mk 16:15-16 - “Go throughout the whole world and preach the Gospel to all mankind, whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
2Cor 5:7 - “For our life is a matter of faith not of sight.” (GNB)
Heb 11:6 - “No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.”
The body or system of belief that the Apostles had was proclaimed by Christ to them for almost four years in their personal encounter and experience with God and to which they handed down to their successors.
Lk 17:5 - “And the apostles said to Jesus, ‘Increase our faith.’” (NASB)
The Catholic Church Has four different formulated, namely:
- Apostles’ Creed 3. Athanasian Creed
- Nicene Creed 4. Creed of Pope Pius IV
V. THE 12 ARTICLES OF THE APOSTLES’ CREED
Why is the Apostles’ Creed so called? The Apostles’ Creed is so called because it contains a summary of the principal truths or doctrines taught by them and was mainly composed by the apostles. After the time of the apostles several clauses were added to the Apostles’ Creed; the words “Creator of heaven and earth”, for example, being inserted because of the Manicheans, who held that there were two creators: the good Father of Grandeur and the Evil King of Darkness.
- The First Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”
Dt 32:6 - “Is not he your Father who has brought you? He has made you and established you. (NASB)
Jn 17:1, 3 - “Father, the hour has come; glorify the Son, that the Son may glorify thee… and this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent.” (GNB)
Gen 2:1-2 - “Thus the heaven and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed his work which he had done.”
What does the word “believe” mean?
The word “believe” means to accept or hold something as true on the word of another.
There are two kinds of faith, the natural and supernatural faith. The words faith and belief are restricted to divine faith and belief. But there is a thing as human or natural faith, which consists in accepting a statement on the word of a fellow man. If we judge a person to have knowledge of what he says and to be fruitful, we believe him. Sometimes we err in human faith, but never in an act of divine faith. Human faith is absolutely necessary for the purpose of life. Though it may occasionally lead us astray, society could not exist without it. How inconsistent are unbelievers who accept the word of fallible men many times a day, and yet refuse to believe the word of the infallible God!
What is the virtue of faith?
The virtue of faith is a supernatural gift of God which enables us to believe firmly on God’s word what he has revealed.
Lk 10:16 - “The one who listens to you listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects me; and he who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” (NASB)
Jn 20:29 - Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!” (GNB)
The word Revelation comes from a Latin word which means “unveiled.” God is said to reveal something when he unveils it or makes it known, not by reason but in some supernatural way. God made many revelations to Abraham, Moses, and the prophets; and in the new law Jesus Christ revealed to the Apostles what they were to preach. What is contained in the Bible is said to be revealed to us. But not all God’s revelation were written in the Bible (cf. Jn 21:25).
Is our faith supernatural? As revelation is supernatural or above nature, so, too, faith, or the belief in revelation, since it leads to a supernatural end, must itself be supernatural and consequently require the help of God’s grace; also such a thing as human or natural faith, which consists in accepting a statement on the word of a fellow man. If we judge a person to have knowledge of what he says and to be truthful, we believe him. Sometimes we err in human faith, but never in an act of divine faith. Human faith is absolutely necessary for the purpose of life. Though it may occasionally lead us astray, society could not exist without it. How inconsistent are unbelievers who accept the word of fallible men many times a day, and yet refuse to believe the word of the infallible God!
Jn 3:31, 34 - “He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly matters…, the one whom God has sent speaks God’s word, because God gives him the fullness of his spirit.” (GNB)
Ps 12:6 - “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (KJV)
What is the virtue of faith?
The virtue of faith is a supernatural gift of God which enables us to believe firmly on God’s revealed word.
Jn 20:29 - “Jesus said to him, ‘Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me.’” (GNB)
Mt 9:22 - “Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, ‘Courage, my daughter! Your faith has made you well.’ At that very moment the woman became well.”
God’s Word is worthy of belief. It is because He can neither deceive nor be deceived. He cannot deceive because he is all truthful, just and good; He cannot be deceived because he knows all things.
Jn 17:17 - “Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth.” (GNB)
Jn 5:30 - “I judge and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” (TOB)
Lk 18:19 - “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.” (GNB)
Jer 1:5 - “I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.” (GNB)
God’s word has been revealed in many ways to Abraham, Moses, and the prophets; and in the new law Jesus revealed to the Apostles what they were to preach. This is called Divine Revelation which able us to believe firmly on God’s word what he has revealed and this faith is not only a product of reason but a supernatural gift from God.
Heb 1:1-2 - “In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son.” (GNB)
Heb 11:6 - “No one can pleased God without faith for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.”
Why is our faith supernatural? As Revelation is supernatural or above nature, so, too, faith, or the belief in revelation, since it leads to a supernatural end, must itself be supernatural and consequently require the help of God’s grace.
Eph 2:8-9 - “For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.” (GNB)
The certainty of faith is a must and demanded by reason. An act of faith must be firmed; that is, it must exclude all doubt. One who doubts the truth of what he holds is said to have an opinion, but not certainty. One who believes in God’s word has absolute certainty.
James 1:6-8 - “Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. A person like that, unable to make up his mind and undecided in all he does, must not think that he will receive anything from God.” (GNB)
The Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.”
The name Jesus comes from Hebrew and Aramaic Yēšû‘α, and in Greek iēsūs. The meaning of the name Jesus means “Yahweh is salvation” (Mt 1:21; Lk 2:21), “Savior” or “redeemer”; and our Lord thus called because He came to save men from sin and to open heaven for them.
Acts 4:10, 12 - “That by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead…. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (KJV)Reverence for the name of Jesus is demanded by us Christians who believed that Christ is God, eternally begotten by the Father (Jn 1:1, 14, 18). We should mention the name of our Lord with great reverence, conforming to the spirit of St Paul’s word, “in the name of Jesus every knee show bow, are those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth” (Phil 2:10). Christians bow their heads at the name of Jesus. The common symbol “IHS” is composed of the first three letters of the word “Jesus” in Greek. The name Christ comes from the Greek word “Christos”, translates Hebrew “Māšîah” which means “anointed one”; by this name Christians confessed their belief that Jesus was the Messiah.
Mt 16:16-17 - “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah (Christ), the Son of the living God.’ ‘Good for you, Simon son of John!’ answered Jesus. ‘For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven.’” (GNB)We are called Christians because we are the Disciples of Christ. If our actions are unworthy of him we only bring disgrace on the name.
1Pet 4:16 - “If anyone suffer for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”
Question: Why is Jesus Christ called the only Son of God the Father?
Answer: Jesus Christ is called the only Son of God the Father because he is God the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, who is the true and only Son of God not by adoption but by natural Sonship.
Jn 1:1, 14, 18 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us… no one has ever seen God at any time, the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father.” (NASB)
Question: Are we not also sons and daughters or children of God?
Answer: We Christians are also sons and daughters or children but not by nature like Jesus who is God, but by adoption. We are adopted children of God by grace. We all understand the difference between the genuine children of a family and an adopted child.
Gal 4:5-7 - “In order that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our heart crying ‘ABBA! FATHER!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son....”
Question: Why is Jesus called “our Lord”?
Answer: Jesus is called “our Lord” because as God He is Lord and Master of all, and because as our Savior He has bought us with his blood.
Jn 13:13 - “You call me teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.” (NASB)
Ps 100:3 - “Know that the Lord is God; it is he who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.” (NASB)
Acts 20:28 - “Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as Bishops, to rule the Church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.” (DV)
Question: Is Jesus Christ true God?
Answer: Yes, Jesus Christ is true God.
The importance of belief in the divinity of Christ depends on the truth or falsity of Christianity. If Christ was God, as He claimed, then his teaching is true, and the Church founded by him is the true Church. If we believe in the divinity of Christ we can have no difficulty in accepting all that He and his Church teaches. Some unbelievers say that Christ was a very good and holy man, but that he was not God. If Christ was not God, then he was not a good man, but a wicked impostor who, by claiming to be divine, he has lead the Christian world into error and idolatry for nearly two thousand years.
Jn 5:18 - “For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (NASB)
- The Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “…Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.”
Question: What is the Incarnation?
Answer: By the Incarnation we mean that God the Son became man, taking a body and soul like ours.
Heb 10:5 - “Therefore, when he comes into the world, he says, ‘Sacrifice and offering thou hast not desired, but a body thou hast prepared for me;” (NASB)
Col 2:9 - “For in him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.” (NASB)
The Son of God was not always man. God the Son in his divine nature is from eternity; he is man only from that time of the Incarnation.
Jn 1:1-14 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (NASB)
Mt 1:23 - “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall his name Immanuel,” which means, “God with us”. (NASB)
The Council of Chalcedon tells us that Christ as man is like to us in all things save sin. By this is meant that he has a human body, a human soul, a human will, and whatever else pertains to the nature of man.
1Pet 2:22 - “Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth.” (NASB)
Gal 4:4 - “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” (NASB)
Consider the dignity of the human race; by the incarnation the human race and all its members have been raised to a wondrous dignity. The sacred humanity of Christ is above all creation, the Virgin Mary is queen of the angels, and it is thought that some of the saints will be higher in heaven than some of the angelic spirits.
Ps 8:4-6 - “What is man that thou dost take thought of him? Yet thou hast made him a little lower than God, and dost crown him with glory and majesty! Thou dost make him to rule over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” (NASB)
Rev 12:1 - “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;” (NASB)
Question: How was the mystery of Incarnation accomplished?
Answer: The mystery of incarnation is accomplished when God the Son took human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Lk 1:34-35 - “And Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.’” (NASB)
The ringing of the Angelus bell at morning, noon, and night remind us of the Incarnation. The prayer called Angelus gets its name from its first word in Latin, which means angel. During the Easter time the prayer “Queen of heaven, rejoice” is substituted for it. These prayers are indulgenced.
Lk 1:26-28 - The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin… and the virgin’s name was Mary. And when the angel had come to her, he said, ‘Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women.’”
Question: Is Christ both God and Man?
Answer: Yes, Jesus Christ is both God and man. He is called the God-man.
Phil 2:5-7 - “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God, a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men.” (NASB)
Jn 10:32-33 - “Jesus answered them, ‘I showed you many good works from the Father, for which of them are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy; and because, you being a man, make yourself out to be God.’” (NASB)
Question: Why was the Incarnation necessary?
Answer: The incarnation was necessary because the Almighty God required a perfect atonement to be made for the sins of men.
1Pet 1:18-19 - “Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” (NASB)
There is a demand for perfect satisfaction for sin. While God might have freely pardoned Adam’s sin, he did not choose this. He demanded perfect satisfaction. Perfect satisfaction required that the person who made the atonement be able to give reparation equal to the offense. And as an infinite God who had been offended by sin, no mere finite creature could make full and perfect reparation. Only a divine person could do this. But a divine person as God - that is, in his divine nature - could not suffer or give satisfaction, so it was necessary for him to assume a created nature. It was eminently proper and fitting that this assumed nature be that of Adam, who was sinned; namely, human nature. Thus the Son of God by assuming human nature - that is, by becoming man and offering atonement to God - made full and perfect reparation for all the sins of men. For, the dignity of Jesus Christ being infinite because he was a divine person, his reparation or atonement was also infinite.
Rom 5:10-11 - “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” (KJV)
- The Fourth Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.”
Jn 18:10 - “Pilate therefore said to him, ‘You do not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you, & I have the authority to crucify you?’” (NASB)
Jn 18:15-16 - “They therefore cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?... so he then delivered him to them to be crucified.’” (NASB)
1Cor 15:3-4 - “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried….” (NASB)
Question: Who was Pontius Pilate?
Answer: Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea, a procurator, who condemned Christ to die.
Question: What events took place on the Holy Thursday evening before Christ died?
Answer: On the Holy Thursday evening before He died, Christ ate the Paschal Supper with his Apostles, instituted the holy Sacrifice of the Mass (the Blessed Eucharist), the Sacrament of Holy Order, and suffered his agony in the Garden of Olives.
Lk 22:19-20 - “And when he had taken some bread and given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ And in the same way he took the cup after they have eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’” (NASB)
Mt 26:26-28 - “And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, he broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body!’ And when he had taken a cup and given thanks, he gave it to them saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my body of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.’” (NASB)
Mt 26:36-42 - “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane… and he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and begun to grieved and distressed. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death…’ and he went a little beyond them, and fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as thou will.’”
Rev 1:5-6 - “And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and released us from our sins by his blood, and he has made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (NASB)
The word “Pasch” comes from the Hebrew word “pasha” which means “passage”; “pesah” meaning “to pass-over”; “pesach” meaning “pass-over”. Which is pascha in Greek where the word paschal is derived. The feast of the Pasch was kept in memory of the deliverance of the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt. On the night when the Lord struck the first-born of the Egyptians, each family of the chosen People had slain a lamb and sprinkled the doorposts of their dwelling with its blood. All the dwellings which were thus marked, God passed over in his visit of death. From this fact the feast which was kept each year with prescribe ceremonial, was called the Pasch, or the Passover. The Paschal Lamb whose blood saved the lives of the first-born of the Israelites was a figure of Jesus Christ, the true Lamb of God, whose death was to give life to the world.
Jn 1:29 - “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’” (NASB)
After the ceremonies of the Pasch Christ washed the feet of the Apostles, and then said the first mass, at which the Apostles made their first communion.
Jn 13:5-10 - “Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the Disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.” (NASB)
The Agony in the Garden - from the supper chamber Christ went out to the Garden of Olives to pray, and here he became the victim of fear, sadness and sorrow, so that he fell into agony, and his sweat became drops of blood trickling to the ground. In answer to his prayer that the chalice of suffering might pass from him, an angel came to strengthen him. Then came the soldiers, with the traitor Judas leading them, to arrest him. St Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the High Priest, but Christ, bidding him put up his sword, healed the ear of the servant. (cf. Lk 22:39-44; Mt 26:47-54 / NASB)
Question: On what charge was Christ condemned to death?
Answer: Christ was condemned to death because he claimed to be the Christ, the Son of God.
Jn 10:30-33 - “‘The Father and I are one.’ Then the people again picked up stones to throw at him. Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good deeds in your presence which the Father gave me to do; for which one of these do you want to stone me?’ They answered, ‘We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!’” (GNB)
Mt 26:63-66 - “‘I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the High Priest tore his robes saying, ‘He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?’ They answered and said, ‘He is deserving of death.’” (NASB)
Christ carried his cross to mount Calvary, just outside Jerusalem, where he was crucified between thieves (Jn 19:1-17; Lk 23:39-43). Christ was crucified on the first Good Friday about noon, and he hung upon the cross for 3 hours until he died (Mt 26:33-46; Jn 19:16-30 / GNB/NASB). Christ willingly suffered for our sake (1Jn 3:14-16).
Question: Why did Christ suffer death?
Answer: Christ suffered death to make satisfaction to the divine justice for the sins of the world and to restore to men the grace of God and the right to heaven. (cf. Isa 53:1-8; Rom 6:1-4; Phil 3:20-21; Col 3:1-3 GNB)
By his death Christ merited for the human race sanctifying grace and all actual graces, and he taught men to suffer patiently. As Christ's merits were infinite, he could have redeemed the sins of a thousand worlds by shedding one drop of his blood; but he chose of his own free will to suffer such excruciating torments in order to show his love for us and to make us realize the enormity of sin. (cf. Jn 3:16-19; Eph 2:7-10; Heb 9:22, 10:9-13; 1Pet 1:18-19; Isa 53:1-8; Mt 16:24)
- The Fifth Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “He descended into the dead, on the third day He rose again from the dead.” (1Cor 15:1-4)
Question: When Christ descended into the dead, did his body go with him?
Answer: No, when Christ descended into the dead his body remained in the tomb.
Mt 26:57-60 - “When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea arrived; his name was Joseph, and he also was a disciple of Jesus. He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate gave orders for the body to be given to Joseph. So Joseph took it, wrapped it in a new linen sheet, and placed it in his own tomb, which he has just recently dug out of solid rock.”
1Pet 3:18-19 - “For Christ died for our sins once and for all, a good man in behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death physically, but made alive spiritually, and in his spiritual existence He went and preached to the imprisoned spirits.”
Question: Why did Christ descend into dead?
Answer: Christ descended into the dead as a conqueror, to console the Holy Souls of Purgatory or Limbo and announce the tidings of their redemption.
1Pet 4:6 - “That is why the good news was preached also to the dead, to those who had been judged in their physical existence as everyone is judged; it was preached to them so that in their spiritual existence they may live as God lives.” (GNB)
Question: Did Christ Body corrupt in the tomb?
Answer: No, Christ Body did not corrupt in the tomb.
Acts 2:27 - “Because thou will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor allow thy Holy One to undergo decay.” (NASB)
Christ had foretold his resurrection and appealed to it as a proof of his divine mission.
Jn 2:19, 21 - “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will rise it up.’…but he was speaking of the temple of his Body.” (GNB)
Before going to Jerusalem the last time, Christ took His Apostles apart, and told them that he would be put to death and that on the third day he would rise again (Mt 20:19). On the night of the Last Supper he said, “After I shall be raised again, I will go before you in Galilee” (Mt 26:32). He had previously promised as a proof of His mission the sign of Jonas the Prophet: “For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” (Mt 12:40) Even the enemies of Christ knew that he had predicted His resurrection, for they said to Pilate, “Sir, we have remembered that the seducer said, while he was yet alive: “After three days I will rise again” (Mt 27:63). So Pilate allowed them to seal the sepulcher and guard it with soldiers, to prevent, as they said, the Disciples from stealing the body and saying that Christ had risen. But all these precautions only served to give added weight to the testimony in favor of the resurrection.
Question: By whose power did Christ rise from the dead?
Answer: Christ rose from the dead by His own power.
Jn 5:21 - “Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, in the same way the Son gives life to those He wants to.” (GNB)
Jn 10:18 - “No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free-will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back.” (GNB)
Question: Will the risen Christ live forever?
Answer: Yes, the risen Christ will live forever, glorious in heaven.
Rev 1:17-18 - “When I saw Him, I fell down at His feet like a dead man. He placed His right hand on me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last. I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.’” (GNB)
Question: Is the resurrection of Christ a true miracle?
Answer: Yes, the resurrection of Christ is a true miracle and the foundation stone of the Christian religion.
1Cor 15:14 - “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.” (GNB)
The proof for the truth of the resurrection is that to rise from the dead as a miracle needs no proof, for it can be brought about only by divine power. Now, Christ really died, as His death was witnessed by many people, both friends and enemies; it was verified by the soldier who plunged the spear into His side; it was officially communicated to Pilate; and his friends who buried him would surely not have done so had they seen the least sign of life. That He really came to life is proved by the host of witnesses with whom he conversed, walked, and ate (cf. Lk 24:13-35). The witnesses started incredulous: the Apostles did not believe the women, even their own senses at first, as they thought the risen Savior a ghost, and St Thomas refused to believe the other ten. Yet, many of those who testified to the resurrection laid down their lives in testimony of its truth (Jn 20:11-29; Mt 28:1-17; Mk 16:1-8).
Question: Did the risen Christ appear to many people?
Answer: Yes, for forty days after his resurrection Christ appeared to many of His friends and spent much time in instructing the Apostles (1Cor 15:1-6; Acts 1:3-8, Jn 20:12-29).
Question: What lesson do we learn from the resurrection?
Answer: From the resurrection we learn:
a. That Christ is true God (Jn 1:1, 18; 1Jn 5:20)
b. That is resurrection is the type and cause of ours, provided we die in grace (Jn 6:54)
c. That we should lead holy lives to be worthy of rising with Christ (Jn 5:27-28)
d. Without it our religion and preaching is of no effect (1Cor 15:14)
- The Sixth Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.”
Question: When did Christ into heaven?
Answer: Christ ascended into heaven on the fortieth day after his resurrection.
Acts 1:3, 7-9 - “For forty days after His death He appeared to them many times in the ways that proved beyond doubt that He was alive. They saw Him, and He talked with them about the kingdom of God… Jesus said to them, ‘The times and occasions are set by my Father’s own authority… but when the Holy Spirit comes upon you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in the Jerusalem, in all the Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After saying this, He was taken up to heaven as they watched Him, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.”
Christ went out with his Disciples from Jerusalem to Mount Olives, which is near the city, and while lifting his hands to bless them He rose from the earth and a cloud hid Him from sight. Two angels then appeared, saying, ‘Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going to heaven’” (cf. Acts 1:11). St Jerome says that in his time the two footprints of our Lord on the hilltop were still be visible.
Question: How did Christ ascend into heaven?
Answer: Christ ascended into heaven as man, body and soul, and by his own divine power. As God He was always in heaven.
Mk 16:19 - “After the Lord Jesus had talked with them, He was taken up to heaven and sat at the right side of God.”
Jn 1:18 - “No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father’s side, He has made him known.” (GNB)
Question: Aside from Jesus Christ who was now in heaven, body and soul, are there other people who were in heaven both body and soul?
Answer: By God’s privilege Enoch, Elias and the Blessed Virgin Mary were taken up to heaven both body and soul.
a. The prophet Elias was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot; but he ascended, not by his own power, but by the power of God. (cf. 2Kgs 2:11)
b. So with Enoch, God took him up because God was pleased by the faith of this holy man. (cf. Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5-6)
c. If it is not impossible for God to took up Elias and Enoch to heaven, how much more for Mary his beloved mother? Mary, having been born free from original sin, was not subject to the penalty of death, but God willed that she should die in imitation of her Son and for our consolation. God did not permit the body of the Mother of God to return to dust, but raised it to heaven to be reunited with her soul. This is the doctrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
James 4:10 - “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
Lk 1:52 - “He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has exalted those who were humble.”
Lk 1:46-47 - “and Mary said: ‘My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of his bond-slave; for behold, from this time on all generation shall call me Blessed.’”
Rev 12:1-2, 5 - “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars… and She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to his throne.”
The Feast of the Assumption is celebrated on August 15.
Question: Who accompanied Christ in His ascension into heaven?
Answer: The holy souls whom he had set free from Limbo or Purgatory accompanied Christ to heaven. (cf. 1Thes 4:14)
Eph 4:8-10 - “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high, he lead captive a Host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ Now the expression, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean accept that he also had descended into the lower part of the earth? He who descended is himself also he who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.’ (NASB)
Question: Is the expression “sits at the right hand of God” literal?
Answer: No, this expression is figurative. It means that Christ as man is next to God in power; that He equally shares in the divine glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit; and that is king of angels and men; and all creatures in heaven are subject to Christ.
1Pet 3:22 - “…who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to him.” (NASB)
1Cor 15:27-28 - “For he has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he says, ‘All things are put into subjection,’ it is evident that he is excepted who put all things in subjection to him. And when all things are subjected to him, then the son himself also subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, so that may all in all.” (NASB)
Question: When do we celebrate the mystery of the Ascension?
Answer: We celebrate this mystery forty days after Easter, on Ascension Thursday, which is a holiday of obligation.
Question: Why did Christ ascend into heaven?
Answer: Christ ascended into heaven for four reasons:
a. To take position of the glory He had merited (1Cor 15:27; 1Pet 3:22)
b. To send the Holy Spirit upon His Church (Jn 14:16-18)
c. To intercede for us with the Father (Heb 7:25-26)
d. To prepare a place for us in heaven (Jn 14:1-4)
Question: Where is the glorified body of Christ now?
Answer: The glorified body of Christ is at the same time in heaven and each consecrated Host of the Eucharist throughout the world (cf. 1Cor 11:23-26; Mt 28:20).
The Ascension is the end and completion upon earth of the mysteries of the Incarnation. In the earlier mysteries of our Lord’s life, his humanity was strikingly manifested by humility and suffering; in the Resurrection and Ascension his divinity and power are permanent (cf. Heb 1:8-13; 1Tim 3:16; Phil 2:5-11; Isa 53:1-8; 1Pet 3:22; Rev 1:7-8; Heb 13:8).
As a triumphant conqueror over death and hell He rose from the grave and entered heaven, where His kingdom will have no end. He still watches over His Church and he prays for us to the Father. We, too, shall one day ascend with Christ and reign with him if we are faithful. Heaven is our true home, and this world is but a place of pilgrimage and exile (cf. 1Cor 15:50-57; Eph 4:8-9, 4:16; Lk 1:33; Heb 7:25-26; Rev 7:9-17; Col 3:1-3; Phil 3:20).
- The Seventh Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”
Question: What is meant by the word “He will come again”?
Answer: The word “He will come again” refers to his second advent or arrival or His appearance in the same way as the Apostles saw Jesus Christ who ascended to heaven both body and soul. Christ occurrence on earth will be witnessed by all living and dead even by His enemies and by those who nailed Him on the cross.
Rev 1:7-8 - “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him, even so, Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
1Thes 4:15-17 - “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Question: What is meant by “judgment”?
Answer: Judgment means the passing of sentence on a person as an authoritative decision. Judgment will be based on what we think (Mt 5:28-29), what we do in public and in secret (Ecc 12:14), the way we talk (James 3:3-5) and by negligence (James 4:17).
Question: What are the kinds of judgment to occur in our lives before God?
Answer: There are two kinds of judgment that will occur in our lives before God: the first or individual or particular judgment (cf. Heb 9:27) and the last or general judgment (cf. Mt 25:31-46).
Question: When does the particular or the personal judgment take place?
Answer: The personal or particular judgment of each human being takes place immediately after his death.
Heb 9:27 - “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (cf. 2Cor 5:1-10; Ecc 12:7, 14).
Question: Who is the judge at the particular judgment?
Answer: Jesus Christ is the judge at the particular judgment.
Jn 5:22 - “For neither doth the Father judge any man, but hath given all judgment to the Son.”
Question: On what will each person be judged after his death?
Answer: Each person will be judged after his death on every thought (Mt 5:28-29) word (Mt 12:36-37), deed (Sir 23:16-26) and omission (James 4:17) of his whole life (Ecc 12:14 / Rev 22:12).
Question: How will judgment be passed?
Answer: The judgment after death will not be conducted in the manner of an unearthly trial with witness, but each soul will learn its sentence and the reason therefore, so as to see completely the justice of God’s verdict.
Rom 2:15 - “Their conscience bears witness together with that law, and their thoughts will accuse or defend them.”
Question: When will the last or general judgment happen?
Answer: The last or general judgment will be held at the end of the world, immediately after the resurrection of the dead.
Jn 5:27-29 - And he has given the Son the right to judge, because He is the Son of man. Do not be surprised at this; the time is coming when all the dead will hear his voice and once out of their graves, those who have done good will rise and live, on those who have done evil will rise and be condemned.”
The nature of the last judgment is that - it will be a solemn repetition in public of the private judgment. The Judge and the matter of examination will be the same. All men will be judged, each soul being reunited to its own body; and all the angels, good and bad, will be present.
Mt 25:31-34 - “When the Son of man comes as king and all the angels with him, He will set on His royal throne, and the people of all the nations will be gathered before Him. Then He will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the righteous people at His right and the others at His left. Then the King will say to the people in His right, ‘Come, you that are blessed of my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world.’”
Mt 25:41-46 - “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Away from me, you that are under God’s curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels… these then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life.
Question: If individual or particular judgment occurs right after death (Heb 9:27), when our body and soul separates (Ecc 12:7), which of the two will face judgment, the body or the soul?
Answer: The body had no longer consciousness on it. The body will be buried on the ground (Lk 16:22) and it is the soul of man that will face judgment (Ecc 12:7, 14; 2Cor 5:1-2, 10).
Question: What sentence will be pronounced at death?
Answer: At death the sentence of heaven, hell, or purgatory will be pronounced, according to the way one has lived (Rev 22:12).
a. Heaven:
Rev 20:1, 4 - “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the abyss and a heavy chain…. then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given the power to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been executed because they proclaimed the truth that Jesus revealed and the word of God.”
b. Purgatory:
1Pet 3:19 - “It was in the spirit also that he went to preach to the spirits in prison. (NAB)
Ps 142:7 - “Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.” (KJV)
Sir 41:4 - “In the world of the dead no one will care whether you lived ten years, a hundred, or a thousand.” (GNB)
Wis 16:14, 17 - “A wicked man may kill someone, but he cannot bring the dead person back to life or rescue a soul imprisoned in the world of the dead… the most amazing thing was that the fire burned all the more fiercely in the water, which usually puts fire out. All the forces of nature fight to defend those who are righteous.” (GNB)
Mk 9:49 - “Everyone will be purified by fire as a sacrifice is purified by salt.”
1Cor 3:13-15 - “And the quality of each person’s work will be seen when the day of Christ exposes. For on that day fire will reveal everyone’s work; the fire will test it and its real quality. If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. But if anyone’s work is burnt up, then he will lose it; but he himself will be saved, as if he had escaped through the fire.”
Jude 1:22-23 - “Show mercy towards those who have doubts; save others by snatching them out of the fire.”
Zec 3:2 - “The angel of the Lord said to Satan, ‘May the Lord condemn you, Satan! May the Lord, who loves Jerusalem, condemn you. This man is like a stick snatched from the fire.” (GNB)
Isa 4:4 - “When the Lord shall have washed away the faith of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” (KJV)
2Mac 12:41-45 “Judas also took up a collection from all his men, totaling about four rounds of silver, and send it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. He did this noble thing because he believed in the resurrection of the dead. If he had not believed that the dead would be raised, it would have been foolish and useless to pray for them. In his firm and devout conviction that all of God’s faithful people would receive a wonderful reward, Judas made provision for a sin offering to see free from their sins those who had died.” (GNB)
c. Hell:
Mt 10:28 - “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.”
Mk 9:47-48 - “It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with only one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown to hell. There the worms that eat them never die, and the fire that burns them is never put out.”
Question: When will be the Second Coming of Christ “to judge the living and the dead” as written in Acts 10:42 and 2Tim 4:1-2?
Answer: Only God knows the time of His Second Coming as King and Judge. But one thing is so sure that He is giving as enough time to prepare and to be ready on that day of the Lord. He is patient with us because He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from our sins.
2Pet 3:9-15 - “The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, He is patient with you, because He does not anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will disappear with a shrill nose, the heavenly bodies will burn up and be destroyed, and the earth with everything in it will vanish. Since all these things will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should you be? Your lives should be holy and dedicated to God, as you wait for the day of the Lord and do your best to make it come soon - the day when the heavens will burn up and be destroyed, and the heavenly bodies will be melted by the heat. But we wait for what God has promised: new heavens and a new earth, will righteous will be at home. And so, my friends, as you wait for the day, do your best to be pure and faultless in God’s sight and to be at peace with him.” (GNB)
Question: When will the world come to end?
Answer: Christ himself said, “Of that day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone” (Mt 24:36). Christ will come suddenly.
Mt 24:27 - “For the Son of Man will come like the lightning which flashes across the whole sky from the east to the west.”
Question: What sign will precede the last judgment?
Answer: Christ foretold that the following signs will precede the last judgment:
a. The Gospel will be preached in the whole world (Mt 24:14)
b. There will be great apostasy from the faith (Lk 18:8; 2Thes 2:3); and people will be immersed in earthly things as in the days of Noah and Lot (Lk 17:26-36)
c. The anti-Christ will appear and work false miracles (2Thes 2:3-9)
d. There will be signs on the earth and in the heavens, and the stars will fall (Mt 24:29; Lk 21:25-28)
Question: What will happen on the last day?
Answer: On the last day, the following will happened:
a. The sign of the Son of man (generally supposed to be the sign of the cross), will appear in the heavens.
Mt 24:30 - “Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in the sky, and all the peoples of earth will weep as they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
1Cor 1:18 - “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (KJV)
b. The Son of man, in great power and majesty and accompanied by all the angels, will come in the clouds of heaven (cf. Mt 24:30).
c. The angels will sound the trumpet and gather the dead from the farthest bounds of the earth (cf. Mt 24:31).
d. Christ will place the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left (cf. Mt 25:31-34).
e. The fear of men at Christ's coming will fall upon the wicked and those who do not expect His second coming (cf. Rev 6:16)
Question: What will Christ say to the just?
Answer: Christ will say to the just, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Mt 25:34)
Question: What sentence will be pronounced upon the wicked?
Answer: Christ will say to the wicked, “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. (Mt 25:41)
Question: What are some of the reasons for the general judgment?
a. That God’s providence in the government of the world may be vindicated. (Rev 21:5-7)
b. That the good may receive the just honor due to them, and the reprobate the public shame and confusion they have merited. (Mt 25:31-34, 41-45)
c. That the good and evil effects of men’s actions to the end of the world may be disclosed. (Rev 7:9-17)
d. That the body which shared in the good and evil deeds of the soul may likewise share in the reward or punishment. (1Cor 15:25-26; Sir 14:8-9; Mt 10:28; Mk 9:47-48)
Question: Will the just be shamed at the last judgment?
Answer: It will not be a humiliation for the just to have their sins made known, for the good works and penance they performed to atone for them will also be manifested. No good person will desire to pass for what he is not and all will realize that it is through God’s mercy and grace that they have been saved. (Tob 12:9; Lk 23:34; Eph 2:6-10)
As all our thoughts, words, and deeds, good and bad, public and secret, will be published to all creation, we should be careful to do or think nothing of which we may be ashamed. It will be a help to us under temptation to remember that the hidden things of darkness and secrets of hearts will one day be disclosed (Sir 23:13-26). And not only will the evil deed be judged but also the good. Let us begin, then, to perform all the good we can, so that our judgment may be favorable (2Cor 5:10). It will also be a comforting thought to timorous souls who are fearful of the judgment to remember that our judge will be Jesus Christ, who died to save us and who is more eager to pass a favorable sentence than we are to receive (Jn 3:16-19).