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Hypostasis as used in the Fathers (and often in Greek philosophy, as well) refers to an actualization of a nature. There is one nature in the Godhead which is the divine nature, 2 natures of Christ which is human/divine nature equally divided, and one nature of humans until adoption into the divine family. But that divine nature aquired by humans is only in submission to the Godhead whereas the divine nature of the Godhead is in equal submission to the purposes of each.
Hypostasis: is the substance, the real nature of a thing, the essence. Trinitarian theologians built upon the philosophical usage of the term and nuanced it to the sense of the particular actualization of a nature.
This is the church progression of the word hypostasis that the 4th century gave change of meaning to fit trinitarian 3 persons box.
From the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed.), p. 813: hypostasis (Gk. hypostasis, lit. 'substance') The Greek word has had a variety of meanings. In popular language it was used orig. for 'objective reality' as opposed to illusion (so also in Aristotle and esp. the Neoplatonists). In the NT this seems roughly its meaning at Heb. 1:3.
Allied to this was its use for 'basis' or 'foundation' and hence also 'confidence', e.g. in Heb. 3:14 and 11:1 and 2 Cor. 9:4 and 11:17.
In early Christian writers it is used to denote 'being' or 'substantive reality' and is not distinguished in meaning from ousia; it was so used by Tatian and Origen, and also in the anathemas appended to the Nicene Creed of 325.
From the middle of the 4th cent. onwards the word came to be contrasted with ousia and used to mean 'individual reality', esp. in Trinitarian and Christological contexts. It was mainly under the influence of the Cappadocian Fathers that the terminology was clarified and standardized, so that the formula 'Three Hypostaseis in one Ousia' came to be everywhere accepted as an epitome of the orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity. But this consensus was not achieved without some confusion at first in the minds of W. theologians, who naturally translated hypostasis by 'sub-stantia' ('substance') and understood the Easterns when speaking of three 'Hypostaseis' in the Godhead to mean three 'Substances', i.e. they suspected them of tritheism.
Allied to this was its use for 'basis' or 'foundation' and hence also 'confidence', e.g. in Heb. 3:14 and 11:1 and 2 Cor. 9:4 and 11:17.
In early Christian writers it is used to denote 'being' or 'substantive reality' and is not distinguished in meaning from ousia; it was so used by Tatian and Origen, and also in the anathemas appended to the Nicene Creed of 325.
From the middle of the 4th cent. onwards the word came to be contrasted with ousia and used to mean 'individual reality', esp. in Trinitarian and Christological contexts. It was mainly under the influence of the Cappadocian Fathers that the terminology was clarified and standardized, so that the formula 'Three Hypostaseis in one Ousia' came to be everywhere accepted as an epitome of the orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity. But this consensus was not achieved without some confusion at first in the minds of W. theologians, who naturally translated hypostasis by 'sub-stantia' ('substance') and understood the Easterns when speaking of three 'Hypostaseis' in the Godhead to mean three 'Substances', i.e. they suspected them of tritheism.
Note in particular that all the scripture references are to an earlier undefined meaning while defined by church meanings have no scriptural references. So being a scripture believer I'll go with the simple meaning and leave you to fit your dogma into a box.
hypostasis (Gk. hypostasis, lit. 'substance') The Greek word has had a variety of meanings. In popular language it was used orig. for 'objective reality' as opposed to illusion (so also in Aristotle and esp. the Neoplatonists). In the NT this seems roughly its meaning at Hebrews 1:3.
Allied to this was its use for 'basis' or 'foundation' and hence also 'confidence', e.g. in Hebrews 3:14 and Hebrews 11:1 and 2 Corinthians 9:4 and 2 Corinthians 11:17.''
The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium has this in its entry on hypostasis (p. 966 in v. 2, emphasis added): "...at the Council of Alexandria in 362 did Athanasios of Alexandria approve the difference between the terms hypostasis and ousia, and in the wake of the creed of the First Council of Constantinople in 381 the Cappadocian interpretation of the Trinity as three hypostases and one ousia became canonical. Hypostasis was contrasted to the substance or nature of the divinity, and defined as the individual property (idiotes) of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, whereas ousia—as an individual reality—was the element they shared (koinon) that presupposes a Stoic ontology."
Allied to this was its use for 'basis' or 'foundation' and hence also 'confidence', e.g. in Hebrews 3:14 and Hebrews 11:1 and 2 Corinthians 9:4 and 2 Corinthians 11:17.''
The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium has this in its entry on hypostasis (p. 966 in v. 2, emphasis added): "...at the Council of Alexandria in 362 did Athanasios of Alexandria approve the difference between the terms hypostasis and ousia, and in the wake of the creed of the First Council of Constantinople in 381 the Cappadocian interpretation of the Trinity as three hypostases and one ousia became canonical. Hypostasis was contrasted to the substance or nature of the divinity, and defined as the individual property (idiotes) of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, whereas ousia—as an individual reality—was the element they shared (koinon) that presupposes a Stoic ontology."
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