The Apostles’ Creed was not written directly by the apostles. Its traditional name reflects its purpose: it is an early baptismal summary of the apostolic faith concerning the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness, resurrection, and eternal life.
The phrase **“the holy catholic Church”** uses catholic in its historic sense of **universal**. It refers to the whole Church of Christ across nations and generations, not specifically to the Roman Catholic Church.
The clause **“He descended into hell”** has received several interpretations within the Christian tradition. TGN does not understand it to mean that Christ continued His atoning sufferings after death, offered the condemned another opportunity for salvation, or completed a work left unfinished on the cross. Rather, it confesses that Christ truly entered the state of death, remained under its power until the third day, and had already borne the full judgment due to His people in His suffering and death on the cross. This understanding reflects longstanding Reformed interpretations of the clause and preserves Christ’s declaration, **“It is finished.”**
TGN therefore receives the Apostles’ Creed as a concise and faithful summary of essential Christian doctrine, always subordinate to the final authority of Holy Scripture.
This editorial material is commentary from The Gospel Network. It is not part of the historical document itself.