Hypostasis
HYPOSTASIS
A term literally signifying substance or subsistence, or that which is put and stands under another thing, and supports it, being its base, ground, or foundation. Thus faith is the substantial foundation of things hoped for, Heb 11:1. The word is Greek, compounded of sub, under; and “sto, ” I stand, I exist, q.d. “subsistentia.” It likewise signifies confidence, stability, firmness, 2Co 9:4. It is also used for person, Heb 1:3. Thus we hold that there is but one nature or essence in God, but three hypostases or persons. The word has occasioned great dissensions in the ancient church, first among the Greeks, and afterwards among the Latins; but an end was put to them by a synod held at Alexandria about the year 362, at which St. Athanasius assisted; from which time the Latins made no great scruple of saying three hypostases, nor the Greek of three persons. The hypostatical union is the union of the human nature of Christ with the divine: constituting two natures in one person, and not two persons in one nature, as the Nestorians believe.
See JESUS CHRIST.
Fuente: Theological Dictionary
hypostasis
(Greek: hypo, under; histemi, stand)
Literally, that which lies beneath as basis or foundation. During the early Christian centuries the term was frequently used as synonymous with ousia (nature). The distinction between hypostasis and ousia was brought about gradually by the controversies concerning Christ and was definitely established by the Council of Chalcedon (451), which declared that in Christ the two natures are united in one person (hypostasis).
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Hypostasis
(from , under, and , to stand; hence subsistence), a term used in theology to signify person. Thus the orthodox hold that there is but one nature or essence in God, but three hypostases or persons. This term is of very ancient use in the Church. Cyril, in a letter to Nestormus, employs it instead of , person, which did not appear to him sufficiently expressive. The term occasioned great dissensions, both among the Greeks and Latins. In the Council of Nicaea, hypostasis was defined to mean essence or substance, so that it was heresy to say that Christ n-as of a different hypostasis from his Father. Custom, however, altered its meaning. In the necessity they were under of expressing themselves strongly against the Sabellians, the Greeks used the word hypostasis, the Latins personia, which proved a source of great disagreement. The barrenness of the Latin language allowed them only one word by which to translate the two Greek ones and , and thus prevented them’ from distinguishing essence from hypostasis. An end was put to these disputes by a synod held in Alexandria about A.D. 362, at which Athanasius assisted, when it was determined to be synonymous with . After this time the Latins made no great scruple in saying tres hypostases, or the Greeks three persons. Farrar. SEE TRINITY; SEE HOMOUSIAN.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Hypostasis
Literally the Greek word signifies that which stands under and serves as a support. In philosophy it means a singular substance, also called a supposite, suppositum, by the Scholastics, especially if the substance is a completely subsisting one, whether non-living or living, irrational or rational. However, a rational hypostasis has the same meaning as the term, person. — J.J.R.