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This paper is an expanded and somewhat more elaborated version of an earlier study in which I tried to give a general overview on the word-usage concerning the passion of Jesus Christ in the early Christian creeds. The purpose of this short paper is in part to give a comparative presentation of the sufferings of Lord Jesus Christ in the Western Creeds, and in part I also try to define the role of mentioning the name of Pontius Pilatus in them.

A Deut 32,24-et nagyon gyakran úgy tekintik, mint az izraeli vallásban továbbélő, politeista elemek monoteizmus előtti vallástörténeti kövületét. Ennek megfelelően a 24. versben előforduló „dögvész” és „járvány” kifejezéseket a kánaáni Resef és Qeteb istenségek vagy természetfeletti erők (görög eredetű szóval démonok) megtestesítőinek tartják. Feltűnő azonban, hogy a két említett főnév a Deut 32,24–25-ben JHVH hét nyila között jelenik meg, ahol öt minden kétséget kizáróan megszemélyesített jelenség, és nem démon vagy istennév. Valószínűleg a „dögvész” és a „járvány” is ehhez hasonlóan jelenik meg. A Deut 32,24 nem démontant, vagy politeisztikus képzetet tartalmaz, hanem benne az irodalmi pogányság jelenik meg.

In this short paper I would like to provide a comparative analysis of the passages concerning the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Early Christian confessions (among them the Apostolic Creed1 as well), because these passages are frequently the source of theological misunderstanding and debates. The main question which urged me to do this research had occurred in relation with the Apostolic Creed. How do we say correctly: ‘I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell…’ or ‘I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, under Pontius Pilate He was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell…’? I shall try to answer this question by analysing the relevant passages of the creeds which were composed in the first six centuries.