John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. Or those eighteen , etc.] Men; the Persic version reads, those twelve; but all copies, and other versions, agree in this number: upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them ; there was a pool near Jerusalem, called the Pool of Siloam, ( John 9:7) near, or over which, was a tower built, which fell down and killed eighteen men; very likely as they were purifying themselves in the pool, and so was a case very much like the other, and might be a very late one: and this Christ the rather observes, and puts them in mind of, that they might see that not Galileans only, whom they had in great contempt, but even inhabitants of Jerusalem, died violent deaths, and came to untimely ends; and yet, as not in the former case, so neither in this was it to be concluded from hence, that they were sinners of a greater size, or their state worse than that of other men: think ye that they were sinners ; or debtors; for as sins are called debts, ( Matthew 6:12) so sinners are called debtors: above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ? there might be, and doubtless there were, as great, or greater sinners, in that holy city, and among such that made great pretensions to religion and holiness, as they were.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Mention was made to Christ of the death of some Galileans. Thi tragical story is briefly related here, and is not met with in an historians. In Christ's reply he spoke of another event, which, lik it, gave an instance of people taken away by sudden death. Towers, tha are built for safety, often prove to be men's destruction. He cautione his hearers not to blame great sufferers, as if they were therefore to be accounted great sinners. As no place or employment can secure from the stroke of death, we should consider the sudden removals of other as warnings to ourselves. On these accounts Christ founded a call to repentance. The same Jesus that bids us repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, bids us repent, for otherwise we shall perish.
Greek Textus Receptus
η 2228 PRT εκεινοι 1565 D-NPM οι 3588 T-NPM δεκα 1176 A-NUI και 2532 CONJ οκτω 3638 A-NUI εφ 1909 PREP ους 3739 R-APM επεσεν 4098 5627 V-2AAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM πυργος 4444 N-NSM εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSM σιλωαμ 4611 N-PRI και 2532 CONJ απεκτεινεν 615 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτους 846 P-APM δοκειτε 1380 5719 V-PAI-2P οτι 3754 CONJ ουτοι 3778 D-NPM οφειλεται 3781 N-NPM εγενοντο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3P παρα 3844 PREP παντας 3956 A-APM ανθρωπους 444 N-APM τους 3588 T-APM κατοικουντας 2730 5723 V-PAP-APM εν 1722 PREP ιερουσαλημ 2419 N-PRI
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Sinners (ofeiletai). Lit., debtors. Possibly with reference to the figure at the close of the last chapter. Compare Matt. v. 25; vi. 12; xviii. 24; Luke xi. 4.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
13:4 {The tower in Siloam} (ho purgos en silwam). Few sites have been more clearly located than this . Jesus mentions this accident (only in Luke) of his own accord to illustrate still further the responsibility of his hearers. Jesus makes use of public events in both these incidents to teach spiritual lessons. He gives the "moral" to the massacre of the Galilean pilgrims and the "moral" of the catastrophe at Siloam. {Offenders} (ofeiletai). Literally, {debtors}, not sinners as in verse #2 and as the Authorized Version renders here. See #7:41; 11:4; Mt 6:12; 18:24-34.
