Chapter V — On the fourth article

1. What does the fourth article — "Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried" — teach us?

The fourth article of the Creed teaches us that Jesus Christ, in order to redeem the world with His precious Blood, suffered under Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea, and died on the wood of the cross, from which, being taken down, He was buried.

2. What does the word suffered mean?

The word suffered expresses all the pains endured by Jesus Christ in His passion.

3. Did Jesus Christ suffer as God, or as man?

Jesus Christ suffered as man only, because as God He could neither suffer nor die.

4. What sort of death was the death of the cross?

The death of the cross was, in those times, the most cruel and ignominious of all forms of execution.

5. Who was it that condemned Jesus Christ to be crucified?

The one who condemned Jesus Christ to be crucified was Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea, who had recognized His innocence; but he cowardly yielded to the threatening insistence of the people of Jerusalem.

6. Could Jesus Christ not have freed Himself from the hands of the Jews and of Pilate?

Yes, Jesus Christ could have freed Himself from the hands of the Jews and of Pilate, but knowing that it was the will of His Eternal Father that He should suffer and die for our salvation, He submitted to it voluntarily; indeed, He Himself went out to meet His enemies, and allowed Himself willingly to be taken and led to death.

7. Where was Jesus Christ crucified?

Jesus Christ was crucified on Mount Calvary.

8. What did Jesus Christ do on the cross?

On the cross Jesus Christ prayed for His enemies; gave as mother to the disciple Saint John, and in his person to us all, His own mother, the most Holy Mary; offered His death in sacrifice; and made satisfaction to the justice of God for the sins of men.

9. Would it not have been enough for an Angel to come to make satisfaction for us?

No, it would not have been enough for an Angel to come to make satisfaction for us, because the offense given to God by sin was, in a certain respect, infinite, and to make satisfaction for it there was needed a person who had infinite merit.

10. In order to make satisfaction to the divine Justice, was it necessary that Jesus Christ be both God and man?

Yes, it was necessary that Jesus Christ be man in order to be able to suffer and die, and necessary that He be God so that His sufferings might be of infinite value.

11. Why was it necessary that the merits of Jesus Christ be of infinite value?

It was necessary that the merits of Jesus Christ be of infinite value, because the majesty of God, offended by sin, is infinite.

12. Was it necessary that Jesus should suffer so much?

No, it was not absolutely necessary that Jesus should suffer so much, because the least of His sufferings would have been sufficient for our redemption, each of His acts being of infinite value.

13. Why, then, did Jesus will to suffer so much?

Jesus willed to suffer so much in order to satisfy more abundantly the divine justice, to show us His love more fully, and to inspire in us the greatest horror of sin.

14. Did wonders occur at the death of Jesus?

Yes, at the death of Jesus the sun was darkened, the earth shook, the tombs opened, and many of the dead rose again.

15. Where was the body of Jesus Christ buried?

The body of Jesus Christ was buried in a new sepulcher, hewn out of the rock of the mountain, not far from the place where He had been crucified.

16. In the death of Jesus Christ, was the divinity separated from the body and from the soul?

In the death of Jesus Christ the divinity was separated neither from the body nor from the soul, but only the soul was separated from the body.

17. For whom did Jesus Christ die?

Jesus Christ died for the salvation of all men, and made satisfaction for all.

18. If Jesus Christ died for the salvation of all, why are not all saved?

Jesus Christ died for all, but not all are saved, because not all are willing to acknowledge Him, not all observe His law, and not all avail themselves of the means of sanctification He has left us.

19. Is it enough for our salvation that Jesus Christ died for us?

For our salvation it is not enough that Jesus Christ died for us; it is also necessary that the fruit and the merits of His passion and death be applied to each of us, which happens chiefly by means of the sacraments instituted for this end by Jesus Christ Himself; and since many either do not receive the sacraments, or do not receive them well, they thereby render the death of Jesus Christ useless to themselves.