Encyclopedia of Dogmatic Theology

Explanation of the Creed – Part 5

Explanation of the Creed – Part 5

And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate:
Mentioning the crucifixion here confirms the act of redemption, and mentioning the time of Pontius Pilate dates this great event, the redemption of the whole world.
The phrase “for us” explains that He was not crucified for any sin of His own, but rather as our representative in paying the price required by divine justice.

And suffered and was buried:
The word “suffered” means that the act of redemption was real; the Divinity did not shield the humanity from suffering. No — if that had happened, the crucifixion would have been purely symbolic. What happened is that the Divinity — though united with the humanity — allowed the humanity to suffer. Concerning this, He said: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
The word “was buried” is proof that He truly died in the body — the death which is the wages of sin, the sin of the whole world.

In this death, His soul was separated from His body. Yet His Divinity was never separated from either His soul or His body. The soul, united with the Divinity, went and preached to those who had fallen asleep in hope, opened the gate of Paradise, and brought them in along with the thief on the right. The body, united with the Divinity, remained in the tomb without decay.

And rose from the dead on the third day:
The Resurrection means that the soul united with the Divinity came at dawn on the third day and was reunited with the body, which was also united with the Divinity.

The Resurrection of Christ differs from all other resurrections:

1. He rose with a glorified body, by which He could enter the upper room while the doors were closed, and by which He ascended into heaven, contrary to all the laws of gravity. And when we rise — God willing — we shall rise “in the likeness of His glorious body.”

2. He alone rose by His own power; no one raised Him. Many others were raised before, by the power of Christ Himself, or by Elijah the prophet, or Elisha. But Christ rose alone, by His Divinity.

3. Christ alone rose from the dead never to die again. All who had been raised before died again and still lie in their graves, awaiting the general resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ.

For this reason, Christ is considered “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” meaning the first to rise in an everlasting resurrection.

Christ rose on the third day, and the “three days” are counted as a figure of speech — the whole for the part. The phrase “according to the Scriptures” confirms that the Resurrection was testified to by the Apostles in the Holy Scriptures — that is, in the Gospels, Acts, and Epistles.

Here, we confess the Lord’s death and Resurrection and bear witness to them.
If the Lord’s death was the payment for sin, then His Resurrection was also the victory over death itself.
His Resurrection was the firstfruits, through which we believe in the resurrection of the body, and we believe that we shall rise as Christ rose. Through it we proclaim: “There is no death for Your servants, but a departure.” And we say with the Apostle: “O death, where is your sting?”

Thus, the Creed clearly explains the entire doctrine of salvation, which is summarized in the Incarnation of the Lord, His crucifixion for us, His suffering, and His Resurrection.
After this, it speaks of His Ascension into heaven, His sitting at the right hand of the Father, His Second Coming, and His work of judgment.

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