Apostles' Creed Explained: Articles 1-4

Article 1: I believe in God the Father, almighty, creator of heaven and earth. This affirms the belief that God exists, is one God in three persons, known as the Holy Trinity, and that he created everything in the known universe. Creation is considered making something out of nothing. The created earth includes everything: inanimate matter, plants, humans, and even angels.

Article 2: And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. This states that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he was definitely divine. The word "Lord" itself is representative of this divinity, since the Greek word actually used is Kyrios, literally meaning "Lord," but only ever applied to God. Since the word applies to Jesus in this case, it is inferred that he is on the same level as God.

Jesus's last name was not Christ. Christ is derived from the Greek word for "annointed." The Hebrew word Messiah also means "annointed."

Article 3: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit. This states the human nature of Christ, meaning that he had an actual, human mother. However, this also confirms his divine nature, since he had no human father. Instead he was conceived in the Virgin Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that Christians believe Christ's nature was fully human and fully divine. The union of these two natures in one divine person is called the Incarnation, which is Latin for "becoming flesh."

Article 4: He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. The human part of Christ was quite capable of feeling pain, and died on a cross on Good Friday. The addition of Pilate's name was not meant to suggest that the governor was causing the suffering, but to refer to the period of history in which these events took place. Pilate is an historical figure who was appointed by the Roman Caesar during the first century, and the mention of his name sets the chronological context for Jesus's life and death. Notice that the Creed also avoids putting any blame on the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus, something that the Church didn't always practice.