Bishop's Epistle: The Origin of the Apostles' Creed

Excerpted from the author's book entitled "Godhead Theology." Published by Seven Millennium Publications.

Introduction

The Apostles’ Creed is second only to the Nicene Creed in popularity, within Western Christianity. The legend that each of the twelve apostles commented a creedal statement to the Rule of Faith, on the eve of their departure to their prospective mission fields, has long ago been debunked. The Creed, however remains in use (and in force) within the precincts of Christianity. Its usefulness as a didactic tool is undeniable for the Trinitarian and Non-trinitarian alike.

The question of its origin may remain a mystery to some, but not to this writer. When the Apostles’ Creed is compared to the Creed of Marcellus of Ancyra it is very difficult to deny that the latter is the sire of the former. Some researchers have suggested that the Apostles' Creed has its origins with the baptismal confession of Hippolytus of Rome (170-235). (And it is true that baptismal confessions were precursors to the Rule of Faith that has come to be called the Apostles’ Creed.) Yours truly was of that opinion until only recently. What occurred recently that has had such a profound influence as to force, and I do mean “force,” me to a different opinion? It was discovery (my discovery) of the Creed of Marcellus of Ancyra. (Marcellus was one of the notable Monarchian bishops at the Council of Nicaea 325.)

What is called "The Old Roman Symbol," or "The Old Roman Creed," as it is also called, which comes to us in Latin (by Rufinus, 390), is a verbatim rendition to the Creed of Marcellus of Ancyra, with the exception of the last statement: “life everlasting.” Marcellus’ version was written in Greek and pre-dates "The Old Roman Symbol." Marcellus’ creed has “life everlasting,” but it is missing from the Latin "Roman Symbol." What is interesting is that the Apostles’ Creed does, in fact, contain this statement. When the Apostles’ Creed is juxtaposed to the Creed of Marcellus the likeness is too great to doubt Marcellus’ shorter form is the foundation of the Apostles’ Creed. Marcellus' Greek version is most likely the original "Old Roman Symbol." This old shorter form of the Creed long maintained itself. We find it in England, e.g. up to nearly the time of the Norman Conquest (in 8th or 9th century manuscripts housed in the British Museum). This seems right to us in that it would have been the tradition of Celtic Christianity that evangelized the British Isles, which predated the Roman influence. The Celts had much more in common with the Greek East than they did with the Roman West—the Gospel having reached them as early as A.D. 37, and Paul's book to the Galatians being addressed to their ethnic group.

The Arrival of Marcellus’ Creed in Rome:

Henry Bettenson (1908–1979, was a Classical scholar, translator and author. Educated at Westminister School and Oriel College, Oxford, he held positions as chaplain at Charterhouse and Westminster) and Chris Maunder (lecturer at York St John University), co-authors of "Documents of the Christian Church" comment that Marcellus had been exiled from his diocese through Arian influence (336), thus spending two years at Rome, and finally left his creed with Julius, Bishop of Rome.

The Greek text of Marcellus of Ancyra (Before 341):

Πιστεύω οὖν εἰς θεòν πατέρα παντοκράτορα·

καὶ εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν,

τὸν γεννηθέντα ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς παρθένου,

τὸν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου σταυρωθέντα καὶ ταφέντα

καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρα ἀναστάντα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν,

ἀναβάντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς

καὶ καθήμενον ἐν δεξιᾳ τοῦ πατρός, ὅθεν ἔρχεται κρίνειν ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς·

καὶ εἰς τò ἅγιον πνεῦμα,

ἁγίαν ἐκκλησίαν,

ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν,

σαρκὸς ἀνάστασιν,

ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

The Latin text of Tyrannius Rufinus (390):

Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem;

et in Christum Iesum filium eius unicum, dominum nostrum,

qui natus est de Spiritu sancto ex Maria virgine,

qui sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus est et sepultus,

tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,

ascendit in caelos,

sedet ad dexteram patris, unde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos;

et in Spiritum sanctum,

sanctam ecclesiam,

remissionem peccatorum,

carnis resurrectionem,.

Differences Between the Latin and the Greek Texts

The Latin (Rufinus) and the Greek (Marcellus) versions are faithful, literal, verbatim translations of each other. The only outstanding difference is the concluding clause in the Greek text, ζωὴν αἰώνιον ("life everlasting"), which has no equivalent in the Latin text. It is important to note that this clause is present in the Apostles' Creed.

Creed of Marcellus/Old Roman Symbol, English translation

I believe in God the Father Almighty;

And in Christ Jesus His only Son, our Lord,

Who was born from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,

Who under Pontius Pilate was crucified and buried,

On the third day rose again from the dead,

Ascended to heaven,

Sits at the right hand of the Father,

Whence He will come to judge the living and the dead;

And in the Holy Spirit,

The holy Church,

The remission of sins,

The resurrection of the flesh,

The life everlasting.

Apostles’ Creed

1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:

3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:

5. The third day he rose again from the dead:

6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:

7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:

9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:

10. The forgiveness of sins:

1l. The resurrection of the body:

12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

The Innovations to the Creed of Marcellus:

1. "Maker of Heaven and earth" (Added to the 1st line.) The modern version of the Creed recognizes the Father as the Creator.
2. "... conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary," (Added to the 3rd line.) The shorter version allows that Jesus had origins in both the Holy Spirit and Mary: God and man. The longer version does not necessarily declare that Jesus had humanity from Mary. The longer version could lend itself to the teaching that Mary served only as an incubator for a heavenly being. In this way the humanity of Christ could come into question.
3. The word "dead" (added to the 4th line) is added to the statement "was crucified and buried." This innovation to the Creed may have been added after the advent of Islam, to counter the Muslim charge that Jesus did not die, but only seemed to do so.
4. "He descended into hell" (added to the 4th line) is better understood as "the place of the dead;" and speaks of the activity of the soul/spirit separate from the body after death.
5. The words "God" and Almighty" (added to the 6th line) reinforces line One.
6. The word "catholic, and the phrase "communion of saints" (Added to the 9th line.) This reflects that the Church was not universally called "catholic" in the beginning; so it is added to the Creed at a later time. The phrase "communion of saints" reflects a later developed teaching concerning the activity of the departed saints. That the fellowship of the church on earth and the church in Heaven is not broken at death, but ongoing.
7. The "Amen" (added to the 12th line) gives an affirmation to the Confession of Faith. It is So!

Apostolically Speaking
☩☩ Jerry L Hayes
(Mar David Ignatius)

Excerpted from the author's book entitled "Godhead Theology." Published by Seven Millennium Publications. Order your personal copy today from the link provided here:
https://www.amazon.com/Godhead-Theology-Modalism-Original-Orthodoxy/dp/1516983521/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Godhead+theology%2C+Hayes&qid=1554054212&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmrnull

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Bishop's Epistle

Monday, January 19, 2015

The Origin of the Apostles' Creed

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