θεοδίδακτος
theodídaktos
G2312 predicate adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
taught or instructed by God; having received direct teaching, instruction, or guidance from a divine source. In specific contexts, refers to persons who have been the recipients of divine revelation or instruction, not necessarily through human intermediaries.
Semantic Range
taught by God, divinely instructed, recipient of direct teaching from God, having God's instruction internalized
Root / Etymology
Compound from θεός (god) and διδάσκω (to teach). The word is a verbal adjective formed with the agentive suffix -τος, denoting the recipient of an action, thus meaning 'one taught by God'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
θεοδίδακτος is a rare compound, attested in Koine Greek literary contexts and found in 1 Thessalonians 4:9 in the New Testament, where it describes communities or individuals as having been taught by God in matters of conduct or moral instruction. The term does not imply received instruction through traditional human education but highlights a contrast with teaching from human sources, emphasizing direct divine communication or internalized knowledge attributed to God's influence. Similar compounds exist in Greek, often denoting someone instructed by a specific entity. In later patristic and theological Greek, the term acquired further nuance when speaking of inspiration or spiritual enlightenment. English translations often render it as 'taught of God,' but this may obscure the emphasis on direct divine instruction rather than second-hand doctrinal teaching. The term is not attested in classical Greek and appears to be a specifically Hellenistic or early Christian formation, paralleling other adjectives constructed with -διδάκτος to indicate the agent of instruction. Related to but distinct from terms denoting prophetic revelation or inspiration.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from θεός and διδάσκω; divinely instructed:--taught of God.
Root Family
θεοδιδάκτ- (theodídaktos) — to teach (as a deity), to instruct, to impart knowledge
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2312-01 |
θεοδίδακτοί | theodidaktoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
taught by God | God-taught ones | God-taught ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2312-01 |
1 Thessalonians 4:9 | θεοδίδακτοί | theodidaktoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
taught by God | God-taught ones | God-taught ones |