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The Greek word θεός(1) may refer to the essence (οὐσία) of Yahveh, or to the person (ὑπόστασις) of Yahveh (i.e., to Yahveh Himself). "Yahveh" is the name of the person; θεός (or "god," אלהים, deus) is what Yavheh is (i.e., Aquinas' quidditas or Aristotle's τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι and/or secondary οὐσία).

In his Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, §3.4, John of Damascus wrote,

"We have frequently stated that essence (οὐσία) is one thing and hypostasis (ὑπόστασις) another, and that essence (οὐσία) signifies the common and general species (εἶδος) of hypostases of the same species (ὁμοειδῶν), such as "God" (θεός), "man" (ἄνθρωπος), but hypostasis (ὑπόστασις) signifies the individual, that is to say, "Father," "Son," "Holy Spirit," "Peter," "Paul." Well then, one must know that "divinity" (θεότητος) and "humanity" (ἀνθρωπότητος) are names of essences (οὐσιῶν) (or natures) (φύσεών), but "God" (θεὸς) and "man" (ἄνθρωπος) are applied in reference to natures (φύσεως), whenever we say, "God is an incomprehensible essence," and "God is one." But, it is also understood of in reference to hypostases (ὑποστάσεων), when the name of the more universal is applied to that which is more particular, as when the scripture says (Psa. 45:7), "Therefore, O' God, your God has anointed you..." (for behold, it indicates the Father and the Son), and as when it states, (Job 1:1), "There was a certain man in the land of Uz" (for, it only indicated Job)."

Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἕτερόν ἐστιν οὐσία καὶ ἕτερον ὑπόστασις, πλειστάκις εἰρήκαμεν, καὶ ὅτι ἡ μὲν οὐσία τὸ κοινὸν καὶ περιεκτικὸν εἶδος τῶν ὁμοειδῶν ὑποστάσεων σημαίνει οἷον θεός, ἄνθρωπος, ἡ δὲ ὑπόστασις ἄτομον δηλοῖ ἤτοι πατέρα, υἱόν, πνεῦμα ἅγιον, Πέτρον, Παῦλον. Ἰστέον τοίνυν, ὅτι τὸ μὲν τῆς θεότητος καὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ὄνομα τῶν οὐσιῶν ἤτοι φύσεών ἐστι παραστατικόν, τὸ δὲ θεὸς καὶ ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς φύσεως τάττεται, ὁπόταν λέγωμεν· Θεός ἐστιν ἀκατάληπτος οὐσία, καὶ ὅτι εἷς ἐστι θεός· λαμβάνεται δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποστάσεων ὡς τοῦ μερικωτέρου δεχομένου τὸ τοῦ καθολικωτέρου ὄνομα, ὡς ὅταν φησὶν ἡ γραφή· «Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεός σου» (ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐδήλωσε), καὶ ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ· «Ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ Αὐσίτιδι» (τὸν γὰρ Ἰὼβ μόνον ἐδήλωσεν).


Footnotes

(1) and thus the English word "god," Hebrew word אלהים, and Latin word deus.

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