Core Christian Teachings & Creeds

The Development of Core Christian Teachings:
Early Christian Beliefs and Creeds
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

The first disciples of Jesus not only passed on what he himself taught and did during his lifetime, but they also came to believe that this Jesus, a Jewish man born in Nazareth and executed in Jerusalem, was the long awaited "Messiah" or "Christ" (Mark 1:1). As we see in the canonical Gospels, these believers soon ascribed many other titles to Jesus, including "Lord" and "Son of God," and even began to think of him as the divine Word, who was not only from God, but was God (John 1:1-3; see Christological Titles).

Yet most early Christians also wanted to remain monotheists; they continued to believe that there was only one God, the God of Israel and creator of the world, whom Jesus had called "Father." But if there was only one God, how could Jesus also be divine? What was the precise relationship between the Father and the Son? And if Jesus was divine, then how could he also be human? Such questions about the nature of Jesus and his relationship with God the Father were heftily debated in the first few Christian centuries, with many different opinions and heated arguments all around.

Some Core Teachings of Jesus (or attributed to Jesus):

Initial Message (acc. to Mark): "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15)
The Golden Rule: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." (Matt 7:12; par. Luke 6:31)
The Greatest Commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength... You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30-31; par. Matt 22:37-39, Luke 10:27; citing Deut 6:4-5 & Lev 19:18)
Love of Enemies: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27-28; par. Matt 5:43-48)
Repentance & Forgiveness: "If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,' you should forgive him." (Luke 17:3-4; cf. Matt 18:15-22)
Judging Others: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you." (Matt 7:1-2; par. Luke 6:37)
Faith & Prayer: "Have faith in God... Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." (Mark 11:22+24; cf. Matt 17:20; 21:21; John 14:1)
Jesus' Destiny: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days." (Mark 8:31; cf. Mark 9:31; 10:33-34; par. Matt 16:21-27; Luke 9:22-26)
Jesus' Identity: "Again the high priest asked him and said to him, 'Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?' Then Jesus answered, 'I am; and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.' " (Mark 14:61-62; cf. Matt 26:63-64)
Jesus and the Father: "After Jesus was baptized... a voice came from the heavens, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.' " (Matt 3:16-17; par. Mark 1:9-11 ; Luke 3:21-22); "All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." (Luke 10:22; par. Matt 11:27)
Jesus and the Holy Spirit: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19, citing Isa 61:1-2)

A Compilation of the Apostles' Preaching:

The apostles preach some or most of the following points in various speeches recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (see Acts 2:14-41; 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 7:2-53; 8:26-38; 10:35-49; 13:16-41; 16:30-34; 17:22-34; 19:1-7; 20:17-35; 22:1-21; 23:1-6; 24:10-21; 26:1-23; 28:23-28):

Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Christ, sent by God,
- as promised in the Scriptures, as foretold by the prophets,
- for the forgiveness of sins, for the salvation of the world;
He was rejected by the people, condemned by the authorities;
- he suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried.
Yet God exalted him on high, raised him up to new life;
- and he will one day return to us in glory.
In response, people must repent, believe, be baptized,
- receive the Holy Spirit and join the community of believers.

Some Short Creedal Statements in the New Testament (NAB translation):

Matt 16:16 - Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (cf. Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20)
John 1:49 - Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
John 6:68-69 - Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."
John 11:25-27 - Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."
John 20:28 - Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
John 20:30-31 - Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
Rom 1:3-4 - the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 10:9 - for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
1 Cor 8:6 - yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and through whom we exist.
1 Cor 12:3 - Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, "Jesus be accursed." And no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the holy Spirit.
1 Cor 15:3-5 - For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared to Kephas, then to the Twelve.
2 Cor 13:13 - The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you.
Phil 2:5-11 - Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1 Thess 4:14-17 - For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Tim 2:5-6a - For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all.
1 Tim 3:16 - Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion, Who was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to the Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.
Heb 6:1-2 - Therefore, let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance to maturity, without laying the foundation all over again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, instruction about baptisms and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
1 John 4:2 - This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God.

Some Johannine Texts Important for the Development of Christology:

Jesus and the Father:
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
- "My Father is at work until now, so I am at work." For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. (5:17-18)
- "The Father and I are one." (10:30)
- "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works." (14:9b-10)
- "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began." (17:1b-5)
The Holy Spirit:
- "On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit." (John 1:33)
- "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth..." (14:16-17)
- "The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." (14:26)
- "When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me." (15:26)
- "But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you... But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. (16:7, 13)
- Cf. Matt 28:19 (the oldest "Trinitarian Formula" in the Bible): "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit."

Some 2^nd and 3^rd Century Controversies:

In the first three centuries after the life and death of Jesus, the majority of Christians already came to agree that there was only one God (the God of Israel, the Father of Jesus) and that Jesus was both human and divine. These Christians came to be know as catholic and orthodox, not in the sense of the "Roman Catholic" or "Eastern Orthodox" institutional Churches (which only separated from one another centuries later), but in the root meaning of these words (catholic = "universal"; orthodox = "correct teaching"). Their opponents, those who held opinions rejected by the majority, came to be called heterodox ("other/false teaching") or heretics ("separatists; sectarians").

Heterodox Group	Their Opinions, Ultimately Rejected	Orthodox Positions, Eventually Accepted
[ Jews who don't believe in Jesus ]	[ Jesus was not the Messiah; he was at best a great prophet, healer, and teacher; or at worst a blasphemer or a fraud. ]	Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, sent from God as King of Israel and Savior of the world (cf. all four Gospels)
Marcionites	The harsh God of the OT is not the same as the loving Father of Jesus seen in the NT; the former should be rejected and replaced by the latter.	The God of the OT is one and the same as the God and Father of Jesus; both the OT and the NT contain God's revelation (cf. Matt 5:17-20).
Adoptionists	Jesus was born as a man, who became divine only at his baptism, when he was "adopted as God's son."	Jesus was divine from the moment of his birth; he was born of Mary, but "conceived by the Holy Spirit" (cf. Luke 1:35)
Gnostics	The OT God is the creator of the material world, which is evil, from which people can be freed through the secret "knowledge that Jesus revealed to a select few."	The universe created by God is good (Gen 1), but sin later entered the world (Gen 3-11); Jesus preached openly to all people, wanting everyone to be free from sin and death.
Docetists	Jesus was divine, but not really human; he only "appeared to be human so that people could see him and hear his message."	Jesus was divine, but also truly human; he was "like us in all things but sin" (cf. Heb 4:15).

Note: The first line is in square brackets because Jews of that time were obviously not a group of "Heterodox Christians," even if most of them opposed the Christians' teachings about Jesus.

The Creeds of Nicea and Constantinople:

In the early 4th century, the Roman persecutions of Christians ceased, the Emperor Constantine became Christian, and with imperial support Christianity grew rapidly. Yet the debates about the exact nature of Jesus and his relationship with God the Father continued. In order to resolve these issues and unify the Christian faith, the leaders (bishops) of the Christian Churches throughout the Mediterranean held several large meetings, called "Ecumenical Councils," at which they agreed on some short summary statements of what Christians believed. The "Creed" (from Latin credere = "to believe," or credo = "I believe") from the Council of Nicea was accepted but expanded upon by the Council of Constantinople.

Nicene Creed: AD 325

Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed: AD 381

Latin Version

We believe in one God the Father Almighty,
Maker of all things visible and invisible;

and in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only begotten of the Father,
that is, of the substance (1) of the Father,
God of God, light of light, true God of true God,
begotten not made,
of the same substance (2) with the Father,
through whom all things were made
both in heaven and on earth;
who for us men and our salvation descended,
was incarnate,
and was made man,
suffered
.
and rose again the third day,
ascended into heaven
and cometh to judge the living and the dead.
.

And in the Holy Ghost.

Those who say: There was a time when He was not,
and He was not before He was begotten;
and that He was made out of nothing (3);
or who maintain that He is of another hypostasis
or another substance [than the Father],
or that the Son of God is created,
or mutable, or subject to change,
the Catholic Church anathematizes.

We / I (4) believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only begotten Son of God,
and born of the Father before all ages.
[God of God,] Light of light, true God of true God.
Begotten not made,
consubstantial to the Father,
by whom all things were made.
.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven.
And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary
and was made man;
was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate,
suffered and was buried;
and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures.
And ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father,
and shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead,
of whose Kingdom there shall be no end.

And [I believe] in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son] (5),
who together with the Father and the Son is to be adored and glorified,
who spoke by the Prophets.
And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
We [I] confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
And we [I] look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium, et invisibilium.

Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum.
Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero.
Genitum, non factum,
consubstantialem Patri:
per quem omnia facta sunt.
.
Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis.
Et incarnatus est de spiritu sancto ex Maria Virgine:
et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis, sub Pontio Pilato passus,
et sepultus est.
Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas.
Et ascendit in coelum: sedet ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, judicare vivos et mortuos:
cujus regni non erit finis.

Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem:
qui ex Patre Filioque procedit.
Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur:
qui locutus est per prophetas.
Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.
Et vitam venturi saeculi.
Amen.

Notes:
0: Texts obtained from NewAdvent Website: Creeds of Nicea and Constantinople
1: "of the substance (ek tes ousias) of the Father"
2: "of the same substance with the Father" (homoousion to patri)
3: that He was made "out of nothing" (ex ouk onton)
4: Some versions and translations use the plural "We"; others use singluar "I"; other slight variations in the ancient texts are indicated in square brackets throughout.
5: The addition of the phrase "and the Son" (filioque) has been a major disagreement between the Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Churches, even before AD 1054.

Western Creeds:

Symbol of St. Ambrose (d. 397)

Apostles' Creed (ca. 10th Century)

Apostles' Creed (Modern Translation)

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was born of the Virgin Mary
by the Holy Spirit,
who suffered under Pontius Pilate,
died and was buried.
.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father,
wherefrom He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

And in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Church,
.
the forgiveness of sins,
and the resurrection of the body.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth. (1)

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. (2)
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, (3)
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He went down to the dead (ad inferna). (4)
On the third day He rose again from the dead. (5)
He ascended to the heavens,
and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty, (6)
wherefrom He shall come again to judge the living and the dead. (7)

I believe in the Holy Spirit, (8)
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, (9)
the forgiveness of sins, (10)
the resurrection of the body, (11)
and the life everlasting. (12)

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day He rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Notes:
1-12: A medieval legend claims that when the twelve apostles met to discuss their faith, each of them contributed one article, as numbered above, to their common creed.

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