His Holiness Pope Tawadros II · My Faith · 40

We say that God the Father is “the First Hypostasis,” and that the Son is “the Second Hypostasis.” Does this not denote a difference in time between them?

The answer

The order of “First, Second, and Third” is related to humanity’s knowledge of God. They knew God as Father before they knew Him as Son, and that is because the Incarnation took place later in time.

What we say of the Master Christ, the Second Hypostasis, we say of the Holy Spirit, the Third Hypostasis.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II

Pope Tawadros II, My Faith: A Series of Dialogues on the Creed (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, 2014), 46.

The page in the book (46)

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, My Faith: A Series of Dialogues on the Creed. Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, Cairo; printed at Saint Mena Monastery Press, Maryut, Egypt. ISBN 978-977-344-149-7.