The Apostles’ Creed
You will notice the apostrophe (’). It marks the possessive and comes after the “s” that makes it plural. In other words, this is the Creed that which belongs to the group of the Apostles.
At least that is what the name implies.
The Creed, however, was not written by the Apostles, as romantic as that might be (there is a legend that each Apostle contributed a phrase till the whole Creed was done… but, some legends have no historical backing at all!). While not written by the Apostles, however, the Creed certainly captures the essence or character of the teachings of Jesus’ followers. The disciples faithfully transmitted the teachings of the Lord and the meaning of His birth, life, death, and resurrection. We hold to these truths, in part, because the disciples communicated these to future generations (1 Corinthians 15:1-3). We call it the Apostles’ Creed, not because they are the immediate authors of the statement, but because it so well reflects the core of their teachings.
One of the final commands of Jesus to His disciples before His ascension was to go into all the world, make disciples, baptize them, and “teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:16-20). It is in many ways that goal to teach young disciples about Jesus that has produced the Apostles’ Creed. In a world that was largely illiterate, oral recitation was a crucial means of communicating, preserving, and transmitting the faith. By the mid-second century, the Church had developed a short statement of faith to do so. In time, this evolved into the Apostles’ Creed as we know it today.
The Creed served both as an affirmation of what Christians believed, as well as a bulwark against erroneous thought. Each statement in the Creed not only affirms something, but there is an implicit rejection of the alternative. Asserting that, “I believe in the resurrection of the body,” necessarily implies rebuffing any belief that contradicts the resurrection. Exploring the meaning behind the Creed not only illuminates for us what Jesus taught, but also where we stand in opposition to other teachings.
As we work through the Creed together, we are not simply stating theological positions and truths. Sure that is part of what the Creed does—it teaches the content of our faith. But more than that, the Creed reminds us of the teachings of our Lord Himself. It is just one means of hearing a summary of the biblical teachings and encouraging us to act upon them. The Apostles’ Creed was designed by the early Church to teach, pass along, and preserve the faith of the disciples as they received it from the Lord Himself. Join me as we explore this articulation of “what we believe” together!
In preparation for worship this week, read Romans 8:31-39.
1. “These things” in verse 31 refers back to all that has gone on before in chapter eight. Quickly review those passages. What are all the possible things one could say about these things?
2. Verse 32 is key for us this week. What is the overriding point of this verse? Ultimately, how is it supposed to make us feel?
3. Why would anyone worry about bringing a charge against God’s people? What charges might be leveled against us? Who would level them?
4. How does the end of verse 33 clarify everything being asked in the previous sentence?
5. What is Paul point in stressing that nothing can separate us from God’s love? Why is that a concern or issue for the believer?
6. How does the citation in verse 36 fit into Paul’s argument?
7. If you could memorize one line
in this passage, in all these verses, which one would it be? Why?
