555 Difficult Bible Questions Answered

111. How Was the Apostles' Creed Formulated?

According* to one ancient writer who quotes from tradition, it was Peter who contributed the first sentence^—"I believe in God the Father Almighty"; John added—"Maker of heaven and earth"; James—''And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord"; Andrew— "Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary"; Philip—''Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified dead and buried"; Thomas—"He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead"; Bartholomew—"He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty"; Matthew—''From whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." The other clauses were contributed by James (son of Alpheus), Simon Ze-lotes, Jude and Matthias. It should be remembered, however, that neither Luke nor any ecclesiastical writer before the fifth century makes mention of an assembly of the apostles to formulate a creed, and the early fathers never claimed that the aposdes framed it. Its date and the circumstances of its origin are uncertain.