Lexical Summary hupostasis: Substance, assurance, confidence, essence, reality Original Word: ὑπόστασις Strong's Exhaustive Concordance confidence, substance. From a compound of hupo and histemi; a setting under (support), i.e. (figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance (objectively or subjectively) -- confidence, confident, person, substance. see GREEK hupo see GREEK histemi HELPS Word-studies 5287 hypóstasis(from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 2476 /hístēmi, "to stand") – properly, (to possess) standing under a guaranteed agreement ("title-deed"); (figuratively) "title" to a promise or property, i.e. a legitimate claim (because it literally is, "under a legal-standing") – entitling someone to what is guaranteed under the particular agreement. For the believer, 5287 /hypóstasis ("title of possession") is the Lord's guarantee to fulfill the faith He inbirths (cf. Heb 11:1 with Heb 11:6). Indeed we are only entitled to what God grants faith for (Ro 14:23). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom hupo and histémi Definition a support, substance, steadiness, hence assurance NASB Translation assurance (2), confidence (2), nature (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5287: ὑπόστασιςὑπόστασις, ὑποστάσεως, ἡ (ὑφίστημι), a word very common in Greek authors, especially from Aristotle onward, in widely different senses, of which only those will be noticed which serve to illustrate N. T. usage; 1. a setting or placing under; thing put under, substructure, foundation: Psalm 68:3 2. that which has foundation, is firm; hence, a. that which has actual existence; a substance, real being: τῶν ἐν ἀερι φαντασμάτων τά μέν ἐστι κατ' ἐμφασιν, τά δέ καθ' ὑπόστασιν, Aristotle, de mundo, 4, 19, p. 395{a}, 30; φαντασίαν μέν ἔχειν πλούτου, ὑπόστασιν δέ μή, Artemidorus Daldianus, oneir. 3, 14; (ἡ αὐγή) ὑπόστασιν ἰδίαν οὐκ ἔχει, γεννᾶται δέ ἐκ φλογός, Philo de incorruptibil. mundi § 18; similarly in other writings (cf. Sophocles Lexicon, under the word, 5; Liddell and Scott, under the word, III. 2). b. the substantial quality, nature, of any person or thing: τοῦ Θεοῦ (R. V. substance), Hebrews 1:3 (Wis. 16:21; ἴδε ... τίνος ὑποστάσεως ἤ τίνος εἴδους τυγχάνουσιν οὕς ἐρεῖτε καί νομιζετε Θεούς, Epist. ad' Diogn. 2, 1 [ET]; (cf. Suicer, Thesaurus, under the word)). c. steadiness of mind, firmness, courage resolution (οἱ δέ Ῥόδιοι θεωροῦντες τήν τόν Βυζαντινων ὑπόστασιν, Polybius 4, 50, 10; οὐχ οὕτω τήν δύναμιν, ὡς τήν ὑπόστασιν αὐτοῦ καί τολμᾶν καταπεπληγμενων τῶν ἐναντίων, id. 6, 55, 2; add, Diodorus 16, 32f; Josephus, Antiquities 18, 1, 6); confidence, firm trust, assurance: 2 Corinthians 9:4; 2 Corinthians 11:17; Hebrews 3:14; Hebrews 11:1 (for תִּקְוָה, Ruth 1:12; Ezekiel 19:5; for תּוחֶלֶת, Psalm 38:8 Strong’s Greek 5287, ὑπόστασις (hypostasis), denotes the underlying reality that gives something its concrete existence. In Scripture the term reaches beyond philosophical abstraction and speaks to what is solid, reliable, and enduring—whether the very being of God or the settled confidence of believers. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. 2 Corinthians 9:4 – Paul fears that failure to complete the Jerusalem offering would expose both himself and the Corinthians to shame “in this confident boasting”, where hypostasis conveys the tangible basis of his previous commendation. Relation to Old Testament Thought Although ὑπόστασις itself is rare in the Septuagint, its concept aligns with Hebrew ideas of firmness (’āmēn) and substance (ʿeṣem). The prophets frequently contrast fleeting human assurances with the steadfast character of God (for example, Isaiah 40:6-8). Hypostasis in Hebrews builds on this trajectory, presenting Christ and saving faith as the solid ground beneath all covenant promises. Christological Significance Hebrews 1:3 is foundational for Trinitarian theology. By calling the Son the “exact representation” (charaktēr) of the Father’s hypostasis, the writer affirms two truths: Fourth-century theologians adopted hypostasis to speak of the three divine Persons, while retaining homoousios to confess their shared essence. The biblical usage thus undergirds both the deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity. Implications for Faith and Assurance Hebrews 3:14 and 11:1 show that saving faith possesses a substantive character. Believers do not merely cling to ideas; they participate in a present reality that will culminate in sight. The call to “hold firmly” underscores personal responsibility, yet the object of faith—Christ Himself—remains the unchanging foundation. Pastoral and Ministerial Applications • Giving and Stewardship (2 Corinthians 9:4) – Christian generosity demonstrates the genuineness (hypostasis) of professed love. Historical Development in Christian Doctrine From the Cappadocian Fathers onward, hypostasis became pivotal in articulating orthodox Trinitarian and Christological formulations. By distinguishing one ousia (essence) and three hypostaseis (Persons), the Church preserved both monotheism and the full divinity of the Son and Spirit. The biblical texts—especially Hebrews 1:3—provided the vocabulary and conceptual framework that protected the faith from both modalism and Arianism. Summary Ὑπόστασις in the New Testament testifies to a God who is substantial, steadfast, and self-revealing. Whether describing the eternal nature of the Son or the durable confidence of the saints, the term calls believers to rest on realities that cannot be shaken and to live out a faith that possesses the substance of the life to come. Englishman's Concordance 2 Corinthians 9:4 N-DFSGRK: ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ NAS: by this confidence. KJV: in this same confident boasting. INT: in the confidence this 2 Corinthians 11:17 N-DFS Hebrews 1:3 N-GFS Hebrews 3:14 N-GFS Hebrews 11:1 N-NFS Strong's Greek 5287 |
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