In this Note, the equations of nonlinear three-dimensional elasticity corresponding to the pure displacement problem are recast either as a boundary value problem, or as a minimization problem, where the unknown is in both cases the Cauchy–Green strain tensor, instead of the deformation as is customary. We then show that either problem possesses a solution if the applied forces are sufficiently small and the stored energy function satisfies specific hypotheses. The second problem provides an example of a minimization problem for a non-coercive functional over a Banach manifold.