The Meaning of John 13:13 Explained

John 13:13

KJV: Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

YLT: ye call me, The Teacher and The Lord, and ye say well, for I am;

Darby: Ye call me the Teacher and the Lord, and ye say well, for I am so.

ASV: Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Ye  call  me  Master  and  Lord:  and  ye say  well;  for  [so] I am. 

What does John 13:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

"Teacher" translates the Hebrew "Rabbi" (Gr. didaskalos) and "Lord," the Aramaic "Mari" (Gr. kyrios). The title "Lord" took on deeper meaning after the Resurrection as Christians began to understand better who Jesus is (cf. John 20:28; Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:9-11). Both titles were respectful and acknowledged Jesus" superiority over His disciples.

Context Summary

John 13:12-20 - The Master's Example
Notwithstanding His great humility, Jesus expects to be regarded as Master and Lord; do we so call and treat Him? We must be as willing to obey Him as a soldier to obey his commanding officers, even when the order conflicts with his comfort, convenience, or safety. We must also do for each other, in our poor measure, what He has done for us, taking on us the form and work of a slave, that we may remove from each other any stain that may have been contracted. It is only when we have stooped to the simplest and lowest humility that we are able to lift our brethren to a purer and nobler life. Let us watch over each other's souls, as those who must give an account.
What sorrow must have constantly weighed on our Savior's heart in knowing that all His love and care would be resisted by Judas, as the rock in a flower garden refuses to respond to the genial influences of spring! To lift up the heel, that is to kick is emblematic of brutal malice. This treachery, foreseen by Christ, was transformed into a support of the disciples' faith. When the incident took place, as predicted, they knew that Jesus was all that He had declared Himself to be. [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 13:13

Ye [υμεις]
Emphatic. Call me “Address me.” Πωνεω — Phōneō regular for addressing one with his title (John 1:48). Master Nominative form (not in apposition with με — me accusative after πωνειτε — phōneite), but really vocative in address with the article (called titular nominative sometimes) like ο Κυριος και ο τεος μου — Ho Kurios kai ho theos mou in John 20:28. “Teacher.” See John 11:28 for Martha‘s title for Jesus to Mary. Lord Another and separate title. In John 1:38 we have Διδασκαλε — Didaskale (vocative form) for the Jewish αββει — Rabbei and in John 9:36, John 9:38 Κυριε — Kurie for the Jewish καλως — Mari It is significant that Jesus approves Jesus distinctly claims here to be both Teacher and Lord in the full sense, at the very moment when he has rendered this menial, but symbolic, service to them. Here is a hint for those who talk lightly about “the peril of worshipping Jesus!” [source]
Master [ὁ διδάσκαλος]
Literally, the Teacher. Teacher and Lord were used, according to the Jewish titles Rabbi and Mar, corresponding to which the followers were disciples or servants. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 13:13

Matthew 21:3 The Lord [ὁ κύριος]
From κῦρος , supreme power, authority. Hence κύριος , one having authority, lord, owner, ruler. In classical Greek, used of the gods, and in inscriptions applied to different gods, as Hermes, Zeus, etc.; also of the head of the family, who is lord ( κύριος ) of the wife and children (1 Timothy 6:1, 1 Timothy 6:2; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18), and κύριος (Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1). In the Septuagint it is used by Sarah of her husband (Genesis 3:6). Joseph is called lord of the country (Genesis 18:27; Exodus 4:10). In the New Testament it is a name for God (Matthew 1:20, Matthew 1:22, Matthew 1:24; Matthew 2:15; Acts 11:16; Acts 12:11, Acts 12:17; Revelation 1:8). As applied to Christ, it does not express his divine nature and power. These are indicated by some accompanying word or phrase, as my God (John 20:28); of all (Acts 10:36); to the glory of God the Father (Philemon 2:11); of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8); so that, as a title of Christ, Lord is used in the sense of Master or Ruler, or in address, Sir (Matthew 22:43, Matthew 22:45; Luke 2:11; Luke 6:46; John 13:13, John 13:14; 1 Corinthians 8:6). Ὁ κύριος , the Lord, is used of Christ by Matthew only once (Matthew 21:3) until after the resurrection (Matthew 28:6). In the other gospels and in the Acts it occurs far oftener. Nevertheless, in the progress of Christian thought in the New Testament, the meaning develops toward a specific designation of the divine Saviour, as may be seen in the phrases Jesus, Christ our Lord, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Jesus our Lord. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

John 11:28 Called Mary [επωνησεν Μαριαμ]
First aorist active indicative of πωνεω — phōneō Out of the house and away from the crowd. Secretly Old adverb from λατρος — lathros To tell her the glad news. The Master “The Teacher.” So they loved to call him as he was (John 13:13). Is here “Is present.” Calleth thee This rouses Mary. [source]
John 15:15 No longer [ουκετι]
As he had done in John 13:16. He was their Rabbi (John 1:38; John 13:13) and Lord (John 13:13). Paul gloried in calling himself Christ‘s δουλος — doulos (bond-slave). Servants Bond-servants, slaves. I have called you friends Perfect active indicative, permanent state of new dignity. They will prove worthy of it by continued obedience to Christ as Lord, by being good δουλοι — douloi Abraham was called the Friend of God (James 2:23). Are we friends of Christ? [source]
1 Corinthians 12:28 In the church [en tēi ekklēsiāi)]
The general sense of αποστολους — ekklēsia as in Matthew 16:18 and later in Colossians 1:18, Colossians 1:24; Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:32; Hebrews 12:23. See list also in Ephesians 4:11. See note on Matthew 10:2 for προπητας — apostolous the official title given the twelve by Jesus, and claimed by Paul though not one of the twelve. Prophets (διδασκαλους — prophētas). For-speakers for God and Christ. See the list of prophets and teachers in Acts 13:1 with Barnabas first and Saul last. Prophets are needed today if men will let God‘s Spirit use them, men moved to utter the deep things of God. Teachers Old word from αποστολος — didaskō to teach. Used to the Baptist (Luke 3:12), to Jesus (John 3:10; John 13:13), and of Paul by himself along with επειτα δυναμεις — apostolos (1 Timothy 2:7). It is a calamity when the preacher is no longer a teacher, but only an exhorter. See note on Ephesians 4:11. Then miracles (δυναμεισ ιαμητων γλωσσων — epeita dunameis). Here a change is made from the concrete to the abstract. See the reverse in Romans 12:7. See these words (γλωσσων — dunameisαντιλημπσεις — iamētōnαντιλαμβανομαι — glōssōn) in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:10 with κυβερνησεις — glōssōn last again. But these two new terms (helps, governments). Helps Old word, from Κυβερνητης — antilambanomai to lay hold of. In lxx, common in papyri, here only in N.T. Probably refers to the work of the deacons, help rendered to the poor and the sick. Governments (επισχοποι — kubernēseis). Old word from πρεσβυτεροι — kubernaō (cf. οι προισταμενοι — Kubernētēs in Acts 27:11) like Latin gubernare, our govern. So a governing. Probably Paul has in mind bishops (οι ηγουμενοι — episcopoi) or elders (presbuteroi), the outstanding leaders (hoi proistamenoi in 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Romans 12:8; hoi hēgoumenoi in Acts 15:22; Hebrews 13:7, Hebrews 13:17, Hebrews 13:24). Curiously enough, these two offices (pastors and deacons) which are not named specifically are the two that survive today. See note on Philemon 1:1 for both officers. [source]
1 Corinthians 12:28 Teachers [διδασκω]
Old word from αποστολος — didaskō to teach. Used to the Baptist (Luke 3:12), to Jesus (John 3:10; John 13:13), and of Paul by himself along with επειτα δυναμεις — apostolos (1 Timothy 2:7). It is a calamity when the preacher is no longer a teacher, but only an exhorter. See note on Ephesians 4:11. Then miracles (δυναμεισ ιαμητων γλωσσων — epeita dunameis). Here a change is made from the concrete to the abstract. See the reverse in Romans 12:7. See these words (γλωσσων — dunameisαντιλημπσεις — iamētōnαντιλαμβανομαι — glōssōn) in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:10 with κυβερνησεις — glōssōn last again. But these two new terms (helps, governments). Helps Old word, from Κυβερνητης — antilambanomai to lay hold of. In lxx, common in papyri, here only in N.T. Probably refers to the work of the deacons, help rendered to the poor and the sick. Governments (επισχοποι — kubernēseis). Old word from πρεσβυτεροι — kubernaō (cf. οι προισταμενοι — Kubernētēs in Acts 27:11) like Latin gubernare, our govern. So a governing. Probably Paul has in mind bishops (οι ηγουμενοι — episcopoi) or elders (presbuteroi), the outstanding leaders (hoi proistamenoi in 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Romans 12:8; hoi hēgoumenoi in Acts 15:22; Hebrews 13:7, Hebrews 13:17, Hebrews 13:24). Curiously enough, these two offices (pastors and deacons) which are not named specifically are the two that survive today. See note on Philemon 1:1 for both officers. [source]

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

You call Me - Teacher and Lord rightly you say I am for
ὑμεῖς φωνεῖτέ με Διδάσκαλος καὶ Κύριος καλῶς λέγετε εἰμὶ γάρ

φωνεῖτέ  call 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: φωνέω 
Sense: to sound, emit a sound, to speak.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Διδάσκαλος  Teacher 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: διδάσκαλος  
Sense: a teacher. 2 in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man.
Κύριος  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
καλῶς  rightly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: καλῶς  
Sense: beautifully, finely, excellently, well.
λέγετε  you  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
εἰμὶ  I  am 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.