1.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED: ARTICLE 4

The book is a complete explanation of
the 12 Articles of the Apostles’ Creed.

ARTICLE 4:
HE SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS
PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED
AND WAS BURIED
.
To purchase the Book, or for theological
inquiries (e-mails only), contact the author:
AUTHOR Rev. Fr. Paolo O. Pirlo, SHMI
EDITION 1st Edition, Manila, May 19, 2013
PUBLISHER Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
Quality Catholic Publications
Isabella De Rosis St., Multinational
1708 Parañaque City, Philippines
Telefax (02) 828-2338
Tel. (02) 828-9509
sonsmaryphil@yahoo.com

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2. A CATECHIST’S PRAYER
Loving Father, giver of all that is,
help me to remember that every gift
I have comes from you. Expand my
vision so that I can appreciate your
goodness in the world around me.
Jesus, our Redeemer, you are
the path to the treasures of my
heart and soul. Strengthen my
commitment to be a catechist and
deepen my capacity to share your
truth with those in my care.
Holy Spirit, Love Divine, all life
and energy flows from you.
Illuminate my thoughts and
intensify my desire to grow ever
deeper in my faith.
I lift up my prayer to you, God—
Father, Son, and Spirit—in humility
and hope. Amen.
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 3. WHAT ARE THE
TWO PARTS OF
THE 4TH ARTICLE?

The 4th Article of the

Creed is divided into
two parts:

1. The Mystery of
Redemption,
2. The Passion of
the Christ.

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4. THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION:
What is the Mystery of Redemption?
 It is the divine plan to save
mankind from the slavery of
sin and death. The term
redemption comes from the
Latin word redimere,
meaning “to buy back,” by
paying the ransom.
 Humankind was imprisoned
by Satan because of the
Original Sin, and the price
for our redemption was
Jesus’ life.
 In the Mass, the expression
“for many” rather than “for
all” means that salvation
requires the personal
acceptance of faith.
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 5. THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION:
Why is Jesus the Lamb of God?
 In the Old Testament, sins were
forgiven by sacrificing an unblemished
lamb.
 In the New Testament, the
unblemished lamb is Jesus, whose
death on the cross paid all the debts
due to sin. As the Baptist exclaimed:
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
 This sacrifice of Christ, which is
reenacted at every Mass, is
definitive. For this reason, God allowed
the Temple of Jerusalem, were
sacrifices were offered, to be destroyed
by the Roman Army in 70 AD.

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 6. THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION:
Was it necessary for Jesus to die on the cross?
Jesus chose to suffer and die for three reasons.

1. That we may love God. God is love, and wants us to

love him back. Given that “there is no greater love than
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13), the
sacrifice of Jesus is the most sublime manifestation of
God’s love for us.
2. That we may hate sin. Since “Christ died for our sins”
(1 Corinthians 15:3), the more we meditate on his
passion, the more we detest sin.
3. That we may learn how to suffer. Jesus gave us an
example on how to accept suffering with patience, and to
endure persecution with love, as explained by St. Peter:
“Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you
should follow in his footsteps” (1 Peter 2:21).

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 7. THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION:
Who is responsible for the death of Jesus?
 Since that Jesus died because
of the sins of men, ultimately
all of us sinners are
responsible for his death.
 St. Francis said: “Nor did
demons crucify him; it is you
who have crucified him and
crucify him still, when you
delight in your vices and
sins.”
 It is unjust and illogical to
believe that the Jews are
collectively responsible for
Jesus’ death: because the
crime of a few Jews
cannot be extended to a
whole nation.
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 8. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
The Entry into Jerusalem
The passion of the Christ begun with the entry of Jesus into
Jerusalem, riding a humble donkey, while the people spread
their cloaks and tree branches on the road, shouting:
“Hosanna to the Son of David! (Matthew 21: 9).

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 9. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
The Cleansing of the Temple
 Then Jesus entered the
Temple area and drove
out all who were
buying and selling
there. He overturned
the tables of the money
changers and the
benches of those
selling doves.
 He said to them: “It is
written: ‘My house
shall be a house of
prayer,’ but you are
making it a den of
thieves” (Matthew
21:12-13).

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 10. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
The Last Supper
On Thursday evening, Jesus and his apostles celebrated the
Last Supper at the Cenacle in Jerusalem. During the sacred
meal, Jesus instituted the sacraments of the Eucharist and
of Ordination (cf. Luke 22:19-20).

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11. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
The Agony in Gethsemane
 After supper, Jesus went to
the Garden of
Gethsemane, on the
Mount of Olives, to pray,
along with his apostles.
 Jesus experienced a deep
agony, and his sweat was
like drops of blood, and
exclaimed: “Father, if you
are willing, take this cup
from me; yet not my will
but yours be done.”
 Then the soldiers arrived to
arrest Jesus, and Judas
betrayed him with a kiss
(cf. Luke 39-48).

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 12. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
Jesus Before Pilate
 After his arrest, Jesus was
brought before the
Sanhedrin, presided by
Caiaphas the high priest,
then to King Herod, and
finally to the Roman
governor.
 Although Pontius Pilate
knew that Jesus was
innocent, he washed his
hands and had him
crucified.
 The soldiers made Jesus
wear a crown of thorns,
and scourged him (cf.
Matthew 27:11-31).
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13. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
The Way of the Cross
 On the way to Calvary, Jesus
met the women of
Jerusalem, who wept for him,
and said: “Daughters of
Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep for yourselves and for
your children” (Luke 23:28).
 Then, Simon the Cyrenian
was pressed into service to
carry his cross (cf. Matthew
27:32).
 According to the tradition, Jesus
also met his mother Mary and
Veronica, who wiped his face
with a linen, that retained the
image of his face.

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 14. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
The Crucifixion
 When they had reached the
Golgotha, the soldiers crucified
Jesus, and placed the sign:
“This is Jesus, the King of
the Jews.”
 One of the criminals insulted
him; but the other said: “Jesus,
remember me when you enter
into your kingdom.” And Jesus
replied: “Today you will be
with me in Paradise” (cf.
Luke 23:42-43).
 Then Jesus entrusted his
mother to John, saying:
“Woman, behold your son;”
and to John, “Behold your
mother” (cf. John 19:26-27).
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 15. THE PASSION
OF THE CHRIST:
The Death of Jesus
 From noon onward,
darkness came over the
whole land. At three in the
afternoon, Jesus cried out in
a loud voice: “My God, my
God, why have you
forsaken me?” Then he
gave up his spirit.
 And behold, the veil of the
sanctuary was torn in two
from top to bottom and the
earth quaked.
 The centurion said: “Truly,
this was the Son of God!”
(cf. Matthew 27:45-56).
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 16. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
The Burial of Jesus
Before sunset,
Joseph of
Arimathea,
accompanied by
the Virgin Mary and
other pious
women, took the
body of Jesus,
wrapped it in a
clean linen shroud,
and laid him in his
new tomb that he
had hewn in the
rock (cf. Matthew
27:57-66).
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