The Meaning of John 13:9 Explained

John 13:9

KJV: Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

YLT: Simon Peter saith to him, 'Sir, not my feet only, but also the hands and the head.'

Darby: Simon Peter says to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

ASV: Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Simon  Peter  saith  unto him,  Lord,  not  my  feet  only,  but  also  [my] hands  and  [my] head. 

What does John 13:9 Mean?

Context Summary

John 13:1-11 - Jesus Glorifies Humble Service
In the Temple the laver preceded the brazen altar. It was kept filled with pure water for the constant washing of the priests; Exodus 30:18-21; Leviticus 16:4. We cannot have fellowship with Christ at Calvary or on Olivet unless we draw near with our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
The Synoptic Gospels tell us that on their way to the feast the disciples had yielded to contention and pride. It was needful that these should be put away, and our Lord's love was equal to the occasion. He loved them to the end of His life and to the end of love. Only such love could have made saints and apostles out of such material.
Jesus began a work which has never ceased, and which will continue "till all the ransomed Church of God be saved to sin no more." When we have contracted guilt, we have not to begin our whole life over again, but to go back to the place where we dropped the thread of obedience and begin there. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 13

1  Jesus washes the disciples' feet, and exhorts them to humility and charity
18  He foretells and discovers to John by a token, that Judas should betray him;
31  commands them to love one another;
36  and forewarns Peter of his denials

Greek Commentary for John 13:9

Not my feet only, but also my hands and my head [μη τους ποδας μου μονον αλλα και τας χειρας και την κεπαλην]
Nouns in the accusative case object of νιπσον — nipson understood. Peter‘s characteristic impulsiveness that does not really understand the Master‘s act. “A moment ago he told his Master He was doing too much: now he tells Him He is doing too little” (Dods). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 13:9

1 Peter 5:5 All [παντες]
All ages, sexes, classes.Gird yourselves with humility (την ταπεινοπροσυνην εγκομβωσαστε — tēn tapeinophrosunēn egkombōsasthe). First aorist middle imperative of εγκομβοομαι — egkomboomai late and rare verb (in Apollodorus, fourth cent. b.c.), here only in N.T., from εν — en and κομβος — kombos (knot, like the knot of a girdle). Εγκομβωμα — Egkombōma was the white scarf or apron of slaves. It is quite probable that Peter here is thinking of what Jesus did (John 13:4.) when he girded himself with a towel and taught the disciples, Peter in particular (John 13:9.), the lesson of humility (John 13:15). Peter had at last learned the lesson (John 21:15-19).The proud Dative plural of υπερηπανος — huperēphanos (James 4:6; Romans 1:30) after αντιτασσεται — antitassetai (present middle indicative of αντιτασσω — antitassō as in James 4:6 (quoted there as here from Proverbs 3:34). [source]
1 Peter 5:5 Gird yourselves with humility [την ταπεινοπροσυνην εγκομβωσαστε]
First aorist middle imperative of εγκομβοομαι — egkomboomai late and rare verb (in Apollodorus, fourth cent. b.c.), here only in N.T., from εν — en and κομβος — kombos (knot, like the knot of a girdle). Εγκομβωμα — Egkombōma was the white scarf or apron of slaves. It is quite probable that Peter here is thinking of what Jesus did (John 13:4.) when he girded himself with a towel and taught the disciples, Peter in particular (John 13:9.), the lesson of humility (John 13:15). Peter had at last learned the lesson (John 21:15-19). [source]

What do the individual words in John 13:9 mean?

Says to Him Simon Peter Lord not the feet of me only but also the hands and the head
Λέγει αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος Κύριε μὴ τοὺς πόδας μου μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν κεφαλήν

Λέγει  Says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτῷ  to  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Σίμων  Simon 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Σίμων  
Sense: Peter was one of the apostles.
Πέτρος  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
Κύριε  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
πόδας  feet 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: πούς  
Sense: a foot, both of men or beast.
μου  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
μόνον  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μόνον  
Sense: only, alone, but.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
χεῖρας  hands 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: χείρ  
Sense: by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one.
κεφαλήν  head 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: κεφαλή  
Sense: the head, both of men and often of animals.