"The Hypostatic Union: God & Christ Jesus" (Part 1/5)

People keep using “hypostatic union” like it’s a mic-drop term, then they turn around and define it with a quick Google snippet. We wanted to slow that down and actually do the work: define hypostasis, explain why the church reached for this word, and show how it brings clarity instead of confusion when you’re talking about Jesus Christ and the Trinity.

We start with the foundational distinction most of the arguments miss: essence versus personhood. Essence answers what God is. Hypostasis answers who God is. From there, we lay out classic Trinitarian theology in plain language: one divine essence and three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, co-equal and co-eternal, not a “piece” of God and not a lesser form of deity. That framework also helps make sense of prayer and worship language Christians use every day.

Then we connect the dots to Christology. The hypostatic union is about Jesus being one person, the Son, with two natures: truly divine and truly human. We also name two errors that still pop up constantly in modern debates: modalism, which collapses the Trinity into one person, and Nestorianism, which effectively divides Christ into two persons. If you’ve ever struggled to explain “fully God and fully man” without tripping over your words, this one is for you. If it helps, share it with a friend and leave a review, and tell us what theology term you want us to unpack next.

Transcript

hy The Term Gets Misused

SPEAKER_05 0:00

The hypostatic union. Now, I will say this. We had a discussion over this past week. And this discussion was started when one gentleman came in and got involved in the live. And he brought up and made the comment about the hypostatic union being something that which pertains to Christ and only Christ. And when I said or responded that the hypostatic union was not just about Christ, then he insisted because Google or ChatGPT told him that that was so. And then somebody else on the panel, when we were having this discussion, also corroborated his assessment by attempting to correct me, which is nothing wrong with that. We can all be corrected. But what they said was that while we were live, that they checked Google or Chat GPT and confirmed that the hypostatic union, the hypostatic union, only pertained to Christ. And I was saying that it didn't. But I will explain what it means when it comes to Christ. And I will explain what it means when it comes to the Godhead. The Godhead. So here we go. What is the hypostatic union is what we're going to be talking about tonight. But in order to understand a hypostatic union, we need to understand what hypostasis is. What is hypostasis? Hypostasis or hypostases is the plurality of hypostasis. And this is key, a key term in Christian theology. And we need to make a distinction between hypostasis and hypostases. Hypostasis is a personality or person in the singular. In the singular. Hypostases is the plurality or the plural version of hypostasis. And so this is how we begin to understand what we're going to be talking about tonight. Now, the word hypostasis in Greek. In hypostasis, the word hypostasis in Greek, it means a distinct and real personal subsistence. Now I'm warning you, we're going to get a little theological here, and I hope that's okay. I hope people are up to the task because this is what we're going to be dealing with tonight. But I think it's important in light of the last discussion to really uh delve into this. So again, the word hypostasis, it means a distinct, real, personal subsistence. That's what we need to understand. So one hypostasis equals one person. Three hypostases means three persons. Hypostasis singular speaks about one person, whereas three hypostasis, hypostases means three persons. Good evening, brother Nathan. Glad to have you, brother. So when it comes to the hypostatic union, theological term, that I believe more Christians should really begin to understand because it will then help folks understand how to explain Christ and his nature and the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These things need to be understood. So the issue now I want you to start addressing is twofold. One, what does the hypostatic union mean? On one hand, with reference to Christ Himself, and what does hypostatic union mean when it comes to the persons of the Godhead? And this is what we want to deal with. So how is let's start with dealing with how does the doctrine or how does the hypostatic union how it is used when it comes to the doctrine of the trinity or the or the triunity of the Godhead? This is where we're talking about. How is the the hypostatic union used in the doctrine of the Trinity? So which is what is true. This is where we understand something that we need to understand something that is very important. And that is that God is one essence. God. He is one essence, one being. When you talk about God, you're not talking about a person. God is an essence. God is one essence. And this is what we really need to understand. Now, what is the essence of God? The essence of God is the composition of three persons or three hypostases. Three hypostases. This is what we need to understand. When you talk about God, when you call out to God, you are not just calling out to a singular person, you are calling out to the essence that is called God, that is composed of three hypostases, or in other words, three persons. This is what we need to lay hold of. These three hypostases are God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Three persons. And these three persons are what make up what we call God, the essence. Now, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Each person of the Godhead, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, each person of the Godhead is fully God. Each person is fully God. One hundred percent. Each person is not a part of God. So they are not parts of God. They are equally God. So they're not in parts. They're not divided. They are not indivisible. And each person is personally distinct from the others. And this is an important thing that we need to understand. So again, God is three hypostases: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are the three hypostases, and they make up what we refer to as God, which is the essence. God is an essence. Now, how is this understanding used when it comes to the hypostatic union? Because this is where the term hypostatic union is important. It's really important. In Christ, there are two natures. In Christ, there are two natures. But even though there are two natures in Christ, He is only one hypostasis. In other words, he is one person with two natures. God is one nature, three persons. That's why this distinction needs to be made and needs to be understood and is often confused. And historical theologians understood this and wanted to make sure that we understood what is being spoken of. Let me say this again. In Christ, he is comprised of two natures, divine and human, but he is one person. The Trinity, the triunal God, is one essence comprised of three persons. So when we talk about Christ, again, he is one person. What is the person? The Son of God, the Son. His two natures, what are they? Divine and Human. So what we need to understand here now is that Christ is not two persons or two hypostases. That would mean he would be two people, two persons. He's not. He's one, both divine and human. He is one person or the theological term, one hypostasis. Now listen, I understand that this is a very difficult concept here to understand. But I'm going to try to do my best to make it to try to take these lofty themes and bring them down to the ground so that everyone can understand it. So one of the things that we need to make a distinction between is the difference between essence and the difference between or the difference between essence versus hypostasis. And this is a key distinction. So before I go on, I want to I'm going to talk, I got two people here so far, so I want to address this address you uh and welcome you to tonight's tonight's panel. And I'm surprised we just have two people, but I'm kind of it's kind of nice actually. So brother Clean to Christ, I think it's the first time you've been up here. So welcome, brother. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_04 12:54

Thank you. Yes, uh, my name is Aaron, I'm from California. I've tuned into your uh lives a couple times. Um so yeah, happy to be here.

SPEAKER_05 13:05

Thanks, brother. Glad you've been here. You where about in California are you from? I'm in Orange County, Irvine. Oh, that's where I'm from I'm from California. Born and raised. I've been I've been away from home for four years now, but that's where I was born and raised in Los Angeles.

SPEAKER_04 13:17

Nice.

SPEAKER_05 13:18

Yeah. So so uh well that's good because I'm I'm planning on going out there at the end of June for a wedding.

SPEAKER_04 13:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:27

And uh and and there's another brother that lives in Orange County, actually. Pat and I live close to each other. Well then I plan on seeing Pat, so maybe we can all get together and and and meet up.

SPEAKER_04 13:39

That'd be cool. I've never actually met Pat in real life. Um I just met him through um Holy Smokes Live. Uh so um that'd be cool. Yeah, he lives like very close to me.

SPEAKER_05 13:49

All right, yeah, then we'll try to work it out because I have uh one of my good friends is uh he lives in Irvine. Yeah, that's where I'm at. Okay, good. So then yeah, we can definitely try to meet up. So I'm planning on being here, I think it's I know it's in June, but I'll get back to you and let you know where Pat will let you know one of us will, and uh and then we'll we'll set it up. But so far, is what I'm saying. Does it sound confusing? Does it sound too heady? I hope not.

SPEAKER_04 14:16

I mean, the hypostases, the only time I've ever heard the hypostatic union was between was in Jesus. I never heard it in terms of the Trinity. Right. And people will say, well, that word's not even in the Bible, right? Hypostatic union is not in the Bible. So I'm learning a lot right now, so I appreciate you doing um a teaching on this.

SPEAKER_05 14:36

Yeah. So I let me just see here's a lot of things. People, people, when they when they when they want to when they want to try to dissuade you from a particular understanding about something, and if you mention it, they will say, well, that's not in the Bible, so therefore it's not true. Hypostasis only means person. It's a person. And that's what we're and that's what we're dealing with. And so that's what we're gonna that's what we're gonna talk about. So when we talk about hypostasis, we're talking about person. And the reason why the term is used, even though in Greek it means person or personality, the reason why we have to use it is because you need to be able to explain Christ's nature. You follow me? In other words, Christ is not just man and he's not just God, he's both fully 100% in one. And that's why we have to understand the you know, you know, the union of persons, which is what all hypostatic is saying. Hypostatic union. It is the fusion of the divine with the human, if that makes sense to you.

SPEAKER_04 15:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:54

All right, so we'll we'll we'll get into it. I'll explain why I'll try to explain as I go, and then hopefully you'll understand. And feel free to you know to throw a hand up in the comments and and uh if you have a question and stop me and I'll I'll address it. Sister Candy, how you doing tonight?

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Blessed, brother Blessed. How are you?

SPEAKER_05 16:13

I'm doing all right, doing all right.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

I mean, like I've always said, like there you can't have one without the other. They they when, for example, Jesus is all three of them working together anyway, even when the comforter comes, right? That's still all three of them working together as one because they are one. Right. Like the father's the mind, the thought that it's not.

SPEAKER_05 16:43

Well, don't don't don't don't you you can't put it that way.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Here, let me finish first before you stop me, because if he's the thought that thinks it, and then Jesus is the word, the voice that it makes it known, and then you got the spirit that acts it. He's the one who carries the word through.

SPEAKER_05 17:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 17:06

So that work as one and you can't have one without the other. You see what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_05 17:10

I do, but still, the the point that I want to make is this Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each person is equal in all aspects. Each person, everything that one does, they all do. And so this is what this this is why it is so important to understand this particular doctrine. There is nothing, there is nothing that they all don't do. They are, like Brother Nathan says, they are co-equal. So they are, and you're right, they they they they function in terms of in different ways in terms of administrating the aspects of salvation that pertains to man. But you're right. They are co-eternal, co-equal. All three persons are infinite, omniscient, omnipotent. Every aspect, every attribute that God has, each person has it, they are equal in all aspects. Equal in all aspects. Administratively, they may function differently, but they are all one in essence. They're one in essence. So when you say God, you when you when per when a person refers to God, you are not speaking to God as a singular person. You're speaking to the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whether you, when you pray, you are speaking to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When you address God in your prayers as God. And if you address Christ, if you address the Father, you address the Holy Spirit, you are always addressing the divine essence, which is what we call God. And this God is made up of three distinct persons, and each person is what is referred to theologically as a hypostasis. Does that make sense, Candy?

SPEAKER_01 19:12

I mean, I I was gonna finish with they're they're different functions, but the same action.

SPEAKER_05 19:20

Okay, all right. We can work with that. We can we we can work with that.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

That was shortening up what I was trying to say to begin with, but I was starting with the the way it works because they had they all three do something different. That's why they're different functions, but they all have the same action, and each action, all three are working together, right? So there's never a separation there.

SPEAKER_05 19:44

I I agree. All right, that's fine. So uh, so let me so let me ask you this question. Let me ask, and anybody can answer the question. What is the difference when we when we're talking about God? What is the difference between essence and hypostasis? Another way of saying hypostasis is personhood. It's another way of saying personhood. Hypostasis, personhood, same thing. Person. Now, what is the difference? Let me ask you this, brother Rod. What is the difference, Rod? And good evening. When we say, when we refer to God's essence, what does essence mean? What does essence describe in your mind?

SPEAKER_02 20:33

Well, good evening, brother. How you doing? Good evening, everybody. Um, essence would give me like, you know, spirit, like a non-fleshly presence, you know, if I could just give it, like be short and straight. All right. Uh like an essence, like just a presence, you know, but not something that I can physically attach to, but I can attach to it in another way.

SPEAKER_05 20:58

Okay. Uh, brother Kling, what uh what'd you say your name was again, brother? Aaron. Aaron, Aaron. So what would you say, what would you say essence is or refers to when it comes to God? What does essence describe about God? What does it say about him?

SPEAKER_04 21:17

You know, that's been one thing I just I hear the words essence in nature, but I don't understand like what they really mean, to be honest.

SPEAKER_05 21:24

All right, so let me let me let me spell out what it is. When you speak about God's essence, you're not talking about who he is. God's God's essence is not who he is, it's what he is. His essence is what he is, he is spirit, he is divine, he's all these things that we always often talk about. So it deals with his essential nature. That's what He is. So when we say that God is three persons or three hypostases, so get used to that word because you're going to dig deep into theological things, hypostasis is something that's going to come up. So hypostases, the plurality of hypostasis, or persons, God is three persons or three hypostases. That's who he is. That's who he is. His essence is what he is. Him being three persons is who he is. Three persons, one essence. That's God. Does everybody understand what I'm saying? Does it make sense? Yes. All right. All right. So I want to make sure. So, and stop me. Please stop me if you don't, because I'm going to be talking about some lofty things. So I want to make sure that everyone is clear. And, you know, and I'm certainly that somebody will want to offer a challenge on some of these aspects, and that's fine too. We want to clear it up. We want to get it, we want to understand it. So the first thing we need to understand hypostasis is person. In God, there are three persons. His essence is what he is. The three persons is who he is. The three persons make up one essence. That essence is called God. When you pray to God, you're praying to all three hypostasis, addressing the one essence, which is made up of three persons. This is where we are. All right. And so we need to understand why this word hypostasis matters. And I'm going to say it a lot. Go ahead, Brother Kling. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 23:47

Aaron, I'm sorry. Aaron, no worries. So would essence be like his qualities, like he's all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere at once. Yes. All those, all those divine attributes, that's his essence. Okay.

SPEAKER_05 24:01

Right? Because and if any one of those elements are gone, he would not be God. So he had, so he has, so his essence, like I said, that is a description of what he is. You see what I mean? That's what he is. His his uh the persons describe who he is. He's he's who he is is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. What he is, is God.

SPEAKER_04 24:30

Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_05 24:31

You got it? Yep. All right, good. Uh Mariah, good evening tonight. How are you, sister?

SPEAKER_00 24:38

I'm good and yourself?

SPEAKER_05 24:40

I'm doing all right. Doing all right. I got a little late because I couldn't. I was scrambling around, and then I then I, right when I sat down to get started, then I realized my phone was almost dead, and then I had to go find the chart. It's a it's a mess. But anyway, here we are. So what are your thoughts so far, sister? Am I making sense so far?

SPEAKER_00 25:00

Yes, sir, you are. It's amazing because every time I want to speak, an airplane wants to come by. I don't know how that works. But um yeah, it it uh makes sense to me and I understand it. Um, of course, I don't always use the words like hypostatic union or things of that nature. So uh I am glad that you're talking about it. Um, but I do understand uh you were asking the difference between personhood and the essence.

SPEAKER_04 25:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 25:35

And so that would be the individual that sets uh whatever sets them like not apart from one another, but distinct from one another, correct?

voiding Modalism And Nestorianism

SPEAKER_05 25:45

Right. That's right. The distinction. All right. So there, so that's what we got. So I want to make sure I really want to, and see the reason why I'm using the I'm using these terms is because when you get in, when you get engaged in conversations, like many of you take part in other lives, and I'm sure you take part in other conversations with other people and whatever. And a lot of times people like to throw these things out there because they think that you don't know what it is, and so they believe that if they talk above your head, you're gonna think they're smart and wise, you know? And so what I want you to do, to be able to do, is to understand what they're talking about when they say it. So when they throw out these terms, I want you to be familiar with it. That's the only reason why I'm doing it, because otherwise, I like to keep my messages very simple. So hypostasis is another way of saying personhood or personality. God is the essence. Is God's the, you know, God is um uh his is his essence is what he is. Okay? I just want to repeat this one more time because think about this as we continue to talk. His essence is what God is, three hypostases or three persons is who he is. So when somebody asks you, who is God, the proper response to be technical, when somebody asks you who is God, you say Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. That is God. What is and his essence is what he is. What is what is his essence? Three persons. That's his essence. That's what he is. All right, and we need to understand why this matters, because this word hypostasis was used in order to make this distinction. And without this distinction, without this distinction, you have you run into two problems that historical theologians were dealing with in their day, in their day, which we are dealing with today. And here's what I mean. Here's what I mean. Does anybody know, by the way, does anybody well let me get to that in a second? So let's let's let's just deal with this. Um two things. Today we understand that there are two heretical teachings when it comes to God. One, many of you are probably familiar with. One is called modalism. Does anybody know what that is?

SPEAKER_00 28:38

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 28:40

Oneness, right? Yes. So the reason why this idea of hypostasis is important is to mitigate against this idea of modalism. And modalism is simply collapsing the trinity into one hypostasis, one person. It rules out, it rules, hold on, it rules out the distinction of person of personality and says that God is only one. Now, what modalism has done in most instances has said that Christ, being the one who saves us, he must also be the Father, he is also the Son, and He is also the Holy Spirit, and He manifests Himself differently, but He is He, Jesus, He is the essence. What did we say essence was? What He is, what He is. Jesus is not what God is, not exclusively, and this is the person God is or who He is is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now, that's why this term is used by the ancient theologians to make this distinction. So the next group, which you may not have heard or may not know by name, is called Nestorianism. Does anybody here know what the inst what the Nestorians believe? Anybody? Pat, good evening, brother. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_04 30:28

Pat, you there? He's in teacup mode. I think he's out of the op.

SPEAKER_03 30:33

Oh, there he is. Pat, you there? Hey, hey, can you guys hear me now?

SPEAKER_04 30:36

Yeah, I can see you.

SPEAKER_03 30:37

Uh Nestorianism, that's um Council of Ephesus, I believe. And um that was um that was that a separation of natures, I believe, that heresy.

SPEAKER_05 30:50

It is, it's the separation of Christ into two different natures.

SPEAKER_03 30:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 30:56

I mean, not two different natures, two different persons.

SPEAKER_03 31:01

You mean right, yes. That there is deity and and man.

SPEAKER_05 31:06

That's right. So so the idea, what nor what Nestorian teaches, what Nestorianism teaches, is that is that Christ is in effect two different persons.