ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA GRIEGA
Eidō (G1492) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
εἴδω (eídō) is a Greek verb meaning 'to see' or, in its perfect-tense forms, 'to know,' and it is the basis of the common NT word οἶδα.
Significado de la palabra
εἴδω literally means 'to see,' whether physically or figuratively. The lexicon notes that it is used only in certain past tenses; the other tenses are borrowed from related Greek verbs of sight, while the perfect tense takes on the meaning 'to know,' since in that form it implies a state resulting from having seen.
The perfect form οἶδα, derived from the same root, functions as a present-tense verb meaning 'to know, to have knowledge of.' It takes a direct object (of thing or person), is followed by ὅτι ('that') clauses or indirect questions, and sometimes by an infinitive meaning 'to know how.' Some passages use it in the sense of 'to appreciate' or 'to respect' a person.
KJV usage summarizes the range as 'know, behold, perceive, consider, look on, understand, be sure,' showing that in context it covers both intellectual knowledge and perceptive awareness.
Uso en las Escrituras
In the Gospels, εἴδω/οἶδα frequently appears in teaching scenes. Jesus says the disciples 'know not what ye ask' (Matthew 20:22), rebukes the scribes for 'not knowing the scriptures' (Matthew 22:29), and affirms the Father 'knoweth what things ye have need of' before we ask (Matthew 6:8). It is also used to mark inspired perception, as when Jesus 'knowing their thoughts' speaks to underlying intentions (Matthew 9:4; Matthew 12:25).
In eschatological teaching, οἶδα marks the limit of human knowledge: 'of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only' (Matthew 24:36). The verb thus frames both ordinary knowing (Matthew 7:11) and the boundary where knowledge yields to divine mystery.
La palabra en detalle
- G1492 εἴδω (eídō) is the root behind οἶδα, the common NT verb for 'know.' Its present-tense forms are rare in the NT; the perfect-stem οἶδα carries everyday 'knowing,' and learners should connect sight-imagery in its semantics with the cognitive sense it finally expresses.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Matthew 6:8 οἶδεν grounds Jesus' teaching that prayer is not about informing the Father; God's prior knowledge of 'what things ye have need of' makes petition an act of trust, not disclosure.
- Matthew 9:4 εἰδὼς frames Jesus as one who perceives inner thoughts, showing that the verb extends beyond outward sight to discernment of hidden intent.
- Matthew 22:29 εἰδότες appears in Jesus' rebuke that error arises from 'not knowing the scriptures.' Knowledge here is not theoretical but formative of right belief and conduct.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is εἴδω the same as γινώσκω?
They overlap as 'know,' but Thayer's lexicon treats them distinctly. εἴδω/οἶδα often stresses perceptive or experiential knowing rooted in sight, while γινώσκω can mark a process of coming to know.
Why are present-tense forms of εἴδω rare in the NT?
According to the lexicon, present and future forms were supplied from related verbs of sight; the surviving εἴδω forms in the NT are mostly perfect-stem forms like οἶδα that function as a present-tense 'know.'
What is the basic sense of οἶδα in the Gospels?
In the Gospels it functions as 'know' — knowing facts (Matthew 21:27), knowing persons and character (Matthew 22:16), knowing how to act (Matthew 7:11), or marking the boundary of creatures' knowledge before the Father (Matthew 24:36).