John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. I tell you, nay , etc.] I affirm it, and you may depend upon it, they were not greater sinners than others: though such a melancholy accident befell them, not without the providence of God: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish ; or perish in the same manner; that is, shall be buried under the ruins of the city and temple of Jerusalem, when one stone should not be left upon another; just as these eighteen men were buried under the ruins of the tower of Siloam, of which it was a pledge and emblem; and accordingly great numbers of them did perish in the temple, and were buried under the ruins of it f413 .
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
ουχι 3780 PRT-N λεγω 3004 5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP αλλ 235 CONJ εαν 1437 COND μη 3361 PRT-N μετανοητε 3340 5725 V-PAS-2P παντες 3956 A-NPM ομοιως 3668 ADV απολεισθε 622 5698 V-FMI-2P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
13:5 {Except ye repent} (ean me metanoesete). First aorist active subjunctive, immediate repentance in contrast to continued repentance, metanoete in verse #3, though Westcott and Hort put metanoete in the margin here. The interpretation of accidents is a difficult matter, but the moral pointed out by Jesus is obvious.
