hUPOSTASIS
BDAG:
u`po,stasij
, ewj, h` (u`fi,sthmi; Hippocr.+; Polyb. 4, 50, 10; 6, 55, 2; Diod. S. 16, 32, 3; 16, 33, 1; M. Ant. 10, 5; ins, pap, LXX; PsSol 15:5; 17:24; TestReub 2:7; TestZeb 2:4; Tat.; Ath. 21, 3; Iren. 5, 36, 1 [Harv. II 426, 1]; Hippol., Ref. 10, 17, 2; Did., Gen. 128, 11 in widely different meanings. See Dörrie 4 below.)
1
. the essential or basic structure/nature of an entity, substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality (underlying structure, oft. in contrast to what merely seems to be: Ps.-Aristot., De Mundo 4 p. 395a, 29f; Plut., Mor. 894b; Diog. L., Pyrrh. 9, 91; Artem. 3, 14; Ps 38:6; Wsd 16:21; TestReub 2:7; SJCh 78, 30; Philo, Aet. M. 88; 92; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 1; Tat. 6, 2; Ath. 21, 3; cp. the answer of a certain Secundus, who, when asked Quid fides?, answered: ignotae rei mira certitudo=a marvelous certainty about someth. otherwise unknown [FPhGr I 516]; s. also Lexicon Sabbaiticum: Lexica Graeca Minora 65, 53)
a.
of the Son of God as carakth.r th/j u`posta,sewj auvtou/ a(n) exact representation of (Gods) real being (i.e. as one who is in charge of the universe) Hb 1:3. Sim. of polytheists deities, whose basic reality is someth. material like stone, metal etc. Dg 2:1.
b.
of things: among the meanings that can be authenticated for Hb 11:1 a strong claim can be made for realization (Diod. S. 1, 3, 2 of the realization of a plan; Cornutus 9 p. 9, 3 of the realization of humanity; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 1 that of the Jewish people, both by a divine act; Tat. 5, 1 of God tou/ panto.j h` u`po,stasij): e;stin pi,stij evlpizome,nwn u`p.=in faith things hoped for become realized, or things hoped for take on (but s. 3 and 4 below) reality. Conversely, without faith things hoped for would have no reality. HKöster (s. bibliog. 4 below) argues for this sense also in 3:14, but s. 2. Cp. the rendering substance (e.g. KJV, REB).
2
. a plan that one devises for action, plan, project, undertaking, endeavor (Diod. Sic 15, 70, 2; 16, 32, 3; 16, 82, 6; 17, 69, 7; Ezk 19:5) evn th/| u`posta,sei tau,th| in connection with this undertaking i.e. the collection for Jerusalem 2 Cor 9:4. The fact that meeting a financial obligation is the main theme (vss. 1-2) might well suggest association of u`p. with its use e.g. as a t.t. of expectation of rent due PTebt 61b, 194. To emphasize the importance of steadfast commitment to professed obligation (opp. kardi,a ponhra. avpisti,aj evn tw/| avposth/nai), the author of Hb 3:14 uses u`p. in a way that invites an addressee to draw on the semantic component of obligation familiar in commercial usage of the term (s. PTebt above), an association that is invited by use of me,tocoj, a standard term for a business partner (PHib 109, 3; PCairZen 176, 102 [both III BC]), me,cri te,louj (s.v. te,loj 2bb), and be,baioj (s. M-M s.v.). S. Köster 1b above for focus of u`p. on reality.Satirically, evn tau,th| th/| u`posta,sei th/j kauch,sewj in this boasting project of mine 2 Cor 11:17.
3
. The interp. situation, condition (Cicero, Ad Attic. 2, 3, 3 u`po,stasin nostram=our situation), also specif. frame of mind (Dio Cass. 49, 9; Themist., Or. 13 p. 178b; Jos., Ant. 18, 24 of determination in desperate circumstances; sim. Polyb. 6, 55, 2) has been suggested for some of the passages cited in 1 and 2 above: 2 Cor 9:4 (explained in a v.l. via the epexegetical gen. kauch,sewj); 11:17; Hb 3:14 (s. Dörrie [bibliog. 4 below], p. 39: the frame of mind described in Hb 3:6). The sense confidence, assurance (based on LXX [Ruth 1:12; Ps 38:8; Ezk 19:5], where it renders hw"q.Ti etc.) favored by Melanchthon and Luther (also Tyndale, NRSV, but not KJV) for Hb 11:1 has enjoyed much favor but must be eliminated, since examples of it cannot be found (s. Dörrie and Köster [4 below]). More prob. for Hb 4:11 is
4
. guarantee of ownership/entitlement, title deed (Sb 9086 III, 1-11 [104 AD]; Spicq III 423 n. 14; cp. M-M s.v.) Hb 11:1 (cp. 2 above for commercial use of u[p.).ASchlatter, Der Glaube im NT4 1927, 614ff; MMathis, The Pauline pi,stij-u`po,stasij acc. to Hb 11:1, diss. Cath. Univ. of Amer., Washington, D.C. 1920, also Biblica 3, 1922, 79-87; RWitt, Hypostasis: Amicitiae Corolla (RHarris Festschr.) 33, 319-43; MSchumpp, D. Glaubensbegriff des Hb: Divus Thomas 11, 34, 397-410; FErdin, D. Wort Hypostasis, diss. Freiburg 39; CArpe, Philologus 94, 41, 65-78; HDörrie, ~Upo,stasij, Wort- u. Bedeutungsgeschichte: NAWG 1955, no. 3, ZNW 46, 55, 196-202; HKöster, TW VIII 571-88 (Köster prefers plan, project [Vorhaben] for the passages in 2 Cor, and reality [Wirklichkeit] for all 3 occurrences in Hb, contrasting the reality of God with the transitory character of the visible world). S. also the lit. s.v. pi,stij 2a.DELG s.v. i[sthmi. M-M. EDNT. TW. Spicq. Sv.
Thayer:
u`po,stasij
, u`posta,sewj, h` (u`fi,sthmi), 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: Ps. 68:3 (Ps. 69:3); tou/ oi;kou, Ezek. 43:11; tou/ ta,fou, Diodorus 1, 66.
2.
that which has foundation, is firm; hence, a. that which has actual existence; a substance, real being: tw/n evn averi fantasma,twn ta, me,n evsti katV evmfasin, ta, de, kaqV u`po,stasin, Aristotle, de mundo, 4, 19, p. 395{a}, 30; fantasi,an me,n e;cein plou,tou, u`po,stasin de, mh,, Artemidorus Daldianus, oneir. 3, 14; (h` auvgh,) u`po,stasin ivdi,an ouvk e;cei, genna/tai de, evk flogo,j, Philo de incorruptibil. mundi sec. 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: tou/ Qeou/ (R. V. substance), Heb. 1:3 (Sap. 16:21; i;de ... ti,noj u`posta,sewj h; ti,noj ei;douj tugca,nousin ou[j evrei/te kai, nomizete Qeou,j, Epist. ad' Diogn. 2, 1; (cf. Suicer, Thesaurus, under the word)). c. steadiness of mind, firmness, courage resolution (oi` de, ~Ro,dioi qewrou/ntej th,n to,n Buzantinwn u`po,stasin, Polybius 4, 50, 10; ouvc ou[tw th,n du,namin, w`j th,n u`po,stasin auvtou/ kai, tolma/n katapeplhgmenwn tw/n evnanti,wn, id. 6, 55, 2; add, Diodorus 16, 32f; Josephus, Antiquities 18, 1 6); confidence, firm trust, assurance: 2 Cor. 9:4; 11:17; Heb. 3:14; 11:1 (for hw"q.Ti, Ruth 1:12; Ezek. 19:5; for tl,x,AT, Ps. 38:8 (Ps. 39:8)). Cf. Bleek, Br. an d. Hebrew ii. 1, pp. 60ff, 462ff; Schlatter, Glaube im N. T., p. 581.*
Friberg:
u`po,stasij
, ewj, h` as the objective aspect and underlying reality behind anything, with the specific meaning derived from the context; (1) as an undertaking plan, project (2C 9.4); (2) as God's substantial nature real being, essence (HE 1.3); (3) as the objective reality that gives a firm guarantee and basis for confidence or assurance substance, ground of hope, foundation (HE 3.14; 11.1)
Louw and Nida:
u`po,stasij
, ewj, h` as the objective aspect and underlying reality behind anything, with the specific meaning derived from the context; (1) as an undertaking plan, project (2C 9.4); (2) as God's substantial nature real being, essence (HE 1.3); (3) as the objective reality that gives a firm guarantee and basis for confidence or assurance substance, ground of hope, foundation (HE 3.14; 11.1)
Liddell and Scott
u`po,sta±sij
, ewj( h`, (u`fi,stamai) that which settles at the bottom, sediment, Arist.
II.
anything set under, subject-matter of a speech or poem, Polyb., etc.
2.
the foundation or ground of hope, confidence, assurance, N.T.
III.
substance, the real nature of a thing, essence, Ib.
Tony, I'm just learning Greek... but I think that Old Shephard knows Greek, if you want to ask him if I said anything wrong here... it won't bother me a bit.
~serapha~
That is good. If you ever have any Greek questions, feel free to ask and I'll be happy to help you out with them.
Having said that, your argument is simply without backing. The lexical data is completely on my side, especially noting the glosses that the lexicons provide for the use at Hebrews 1:3. It is very clear.
-Tony
