The Apostles' Creed proclaims "I believe in Jesus Christ, his (God's) only Son." The Nicene-Constanopolitan Creed continues with the declaration that this Son of God "for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven . . . and became man."

As can be seen, the central nucleus of the Christian faith is constituted by the twofold truth that Jesus Christ is Son of God and son of man (the Christotogical truth), that God the Father brought about the salvation of man in him, his Son and Savior of the world (the soteriological truth).

The name "Jesus", considered etymologically, means "Yahweh sets free," saves, helps.

The name was quite widespread both at the time of the Old Covenant and of the New. In the genealogy of the Saviour contained in Luke's Gospel we find listed "Er, son of Jesus" (Lk 3,28-29). Among the collaborators of St. Paul there is a certain Jesus "who is called Justus" (cf. Col 4,11).

The name Jesus, however, never had that fullness of meaning which it would have in the case of Jesus of Nazareth and which would be revealed by the angel to Mary (cf. Lk 1,31 ff) and to Joseph (cf. Mt 1,21).

The people called Jesus "the Nazarene" from the name of the place where he resided with his family until he reached the age of thirty. We know, however, that Jesus' birthplace was not Nazareth but Bethlehem, a locality of Judea to the south of Jerusalem.

As is the case with other biblical places, Bethlehem also assumes a prophetic value. "And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel" (Mt 2,6).

"Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" (Jn 7,42).

From this we conclude that Jesus is the name of an historical person who lived in Palestine. If it is correct to accept the historical credibility of figures such as Moses and Joshua, for still greater reason must we accept the historical existence of Jesus.

The Gospels do not tell us in detail of his life because their primary purpose was not biographical. It is, however, the Gospels themselves which, read with critical honesty, lead us to the conclusion that Jesus of Nazareth is a historical person who lived in a definite place and time.

As regards the exact date of Jesus' birth, experts do not agree. It is generally admitted that the monk, Dionysius Exiguus, when in the year 533 he proposed to calculate years not from the foundation of Rome, but from the birth of Jesus Christ, was inaccurate. Until some time ago it was held that it was a matter of a mistake of about four years, but the question is by no means settled.

Jesus of Nazareth bears a name which alludes to salvation, "God sets free," because he is what in fact his name indicates, that is, the Savior. This is confirmed by some phrases in the so-called infancy Gospels of Luke, ". . . for you is born. . . a Savior" (Lk 2,11), and of Matthew, "for he will save his people from their sins" (Mt 21,21).