Hebrews 11:1 ὑπόστασις [substance]

Nestle-Aland: Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th Auflage Chapter 11

ὑπόστασις

Introducing the verse

An Exegetical Summary of Hebrews 11:1

QUESTION—Why is this verse mentioned?

Since πίστις ‘faith’ is without a definite article here, this verse expresses a description of faith in general [Alf, Lg, My, TNTC, Wst], of religious faith [HNTC], of firm confidence in God’s promises [Blm, EBC] that enables the believer to continue steadfastly in his faith [EBC]. It is a description of what true faith does [Hwt, NIGTC], a statement of the nature of faith [Lg(K), Lns], a definition of one aspect of faith [My], a general statement about faith [TNTC]. It states some significant features of faith [EBC]. The introductory δέ is transitional [Lns, Mil, NIGTC, TH] and carries on the discussion of faith in 10:39 [WBC].

Individual Terms

ὑπόστασις nominative, singular, feminine noun

Used five times in NT

2 Corinthians 9:4 NASB95

otherwise if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence.

2 Cor 11:

2 Corinthians 11:17 NASB95

What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

Hebrews 1:3 NASB95

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Hebrews 3:14 NASB95

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,

Hebrews

Hebrews 11:1 NASB95

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

DBAG notes four uses of term

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 [; }

2: a plan that one devises for action, plan, project, undertaking, endeavor

3: situation, condition

4: guarantee of ownership/entitlement, title deed

BDAG goes on to say “The sense ‘confidence’, ‘assurance’ (based on LXX [; ; ], where it renders תִּקְוָה 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]).”

BDAG goes on to say “The sense ‘confidence’, ‘assurance’ (based on LXX [; ; ], where it renders תִּקְוָה 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]).”

William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1040-1041.

William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1040-1041.

William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1040-1041.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 31.84 ὑπόστασις, εως

that which provides the basis for trust and reliance—‘trust, confidence, assurance.’

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 5287. ὑπόστασις hupóstasis

In general, that which underlies the apparent, hence, reality, essence, substance; that which is the basis of something, hence, assurance guarantee, confidence (with the obj. sense).

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words hupŏstasis ὑπόστασις

5287. ὑπόστασις hupŏstasis, hoop-os´-tas-is; from a compound of 5259 and 2476; a setting under (support), i.e. (fig.) concr. essence, or abstr. assurance (obj. or subj.):— confidence, confident, person, substance.

The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament ὑπόστασις, εως, ἡ

The usage “confidence, trust” cannot be documented, including in instances where ὑπόστασις is the rendering of Heb. tiqwāh or tôḥeleṯ (“hope”; Ruth 1:12; Ps 38:8 LXX; Ezek 19:5).

The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament ὑπόστασις, εως, ἡ

Heb 11:1 probably also uses ὑπόστασις philosophically. True faith, i.e., faith that one keeps to the end (see 10:39), is the (obj., not subj.) guarantee of salvation (πίστις ἐλπιζομένων ὑπόστασις). The believer is assured of receiving that which is not yet present but which is promised by God (see esp. 6:12, 15; 11:33; → πίστις 8).

The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek ὑπόστᾰσις

ὑπόστᾰσις -εως, ἡ [ὑφίστημι] ① as act ⓐ location under, supporting, propping up HP. Art. 55 ARISTOT. P.A. 659a 24 VT Ps. 68:3 ⓑ resistance ARISTOT. Meteor. 368b 12 ⓒ ambush, plot SOPH. fr. 719

The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek ὑπόστᾰσις

endowed with substantial existence, person ORIG. Cels. 8.12.13 (of the Father and Son) etc.; Christol. εἰ μὲν ἕνα φὴς Υἱὸν, καὶ μίαν ὑπόστασιν τὴν τοῦ Λόγου σεσαρκωμένην … if you affirm that the Son is one and the incarnate person of the Word is one … CYR.1 Nest. 2.8 (61 .51C) ⓕ rhet. hypostasis, expansion, full expression, of an idea HERMOG. Id. 290.17 ARISTID. Rh. 27.24 SYR. in Herm. 1.60.

ὑπόστασις has a rich history in ancient Greek with a broad number of nuanced meanings under two general areas of use: 1) as an act and 2) as a thing. For the usage referring to an act, the term that which supports or props up, resistance, or a plot (ambush). Usage with a “thing” is broad ranging: sediment, deposit, existence, foundation, base, substructure, plan, project, substance, constitution, real substance, reality, and an entity “endowed with existence.” (Brill). In the NT, ὑπόστασις only occurs five times (; ; ; ; ). The two uses in 2 Corinthians refer to a plan of action. In , the term is “used more or less philosophically of reality or being” (1 Horst) in reference to Jesus’ representation of God. speaks of Christ as our “ ground of confidence” [2 Zod].

Significant controversy surrounds the of the term here. “Both 'confidence' and 'conviction' are subjective, necessarily subjective because they define 'faith,' which is subjective. But all three imply something objective; they invariably do this. Confidence is inspired in us; conviction is wrought in us; faith (trust) is produced in us.” [3 Lenski] Strikingly, “The usage 'confidence, trust' cannot be documented, including in instances where ὑπόστασις is the rendering of Heb. tiqwāh or tôḥeleṯ (“hope”; ; LXX; ).” [EDNT] This fact renders many modern translations suspect as the preferred translation revolves around three words: confidence (NIV), assurance (NASB, ESV, ), and being sure (NIV84, NET).

1 Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider, Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–), 407.

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 5287. ὑπόστασις hupóstasis

(I) The ground of confidence, assurance, guarantee, or proof; not fides but fiducia (Heb. 3:14, our confidence or first hope in Christ; 1 Tim. 5:12 [cf. Heb. 10:35]; Heb. 11:1, “faith is confidence in the things hoped for” [a.t.], standing in parallel to élegchos (1650), certainty, proof, demonstration; Sept.: Ruth 1:12; Ps. 39:8; Ezek. 19:5).

3 R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the Epistle of James (Columbus, OH: Lutheran Book Concern, 1938), 374.