Luke 13:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?

NIV: Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

NASB: Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse offenders than all the other people who live in Jerusalem?

CSB: Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed--do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem?

NLT: And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?

KJV: Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

NKJV: Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?

A large crowd learns from Jesus that they need to repent of their sins and reconcile with God because they never know when they might die. News is spreading that Pilate killed some Jews from Galilee. Apparently, they had gone to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, possibly for Passover. Jesus points out that this tragedy does nothing to prove the dead did something wrong. Their deaths were the result of terrible, unjust violence, and anyone in the crowd could meet a similar fate (Luke 13:1–3).

Now, He mentions another example. A tower at a reservoir in Jerusalem had fallen, killing eighteen people. Like Pilate's victims, those killed by the tower had done nothing to deserve this. "Offender" refers to someone who is in debt. This was not God's punishment for sin. God did not corral the most sinful people in Jerusalem under the tower and then use a finger to knock it over. While the Lord is in control of all things, not everything that happens to a person is a response to their own personal sin: the tower collapse was a spontaneous tragedy.

Jesus' point is that people die suddenly every day. You can't escape death. What you can do is make sure you are right with God so that after physical death He will bring you home to Him. One day there will be no more tears, violence, or senseless tragedies (Revelation 21:4).

Neither the Bible nor any extra-biblical writings give more details about Pilate's violence against the Galileans or the falling tower of Siloam. That doesn't mean these events didn't happen, just that in the grander context of the Roman Empire, they were minor events.

Luke 13:1–5 expounds upon the lesson Jesus has just taught. In Luke 12:57–59, Jesus told the crowd to reconcile with other people they have wronged. Now, Jesus contextualizes real-world tragedies to point out that being "good" won't protect people from physical death. However, repentance to God will protect from eternal death. Next, Jesus will apply the same lesson to Israel as a nation. These are the last passages of a section comparing living for the world with living for the kingdom of God (Luke 12:1—13:9).

Jesus uses real-world examples to show that tragedy and death can come to anyone, even the righteous. No one should delay in reconciling to God; time is running out. Jesus heals a woman in the synagogue, on the Sabbath, triggering an angry response. Jesus scolds the synagogue leader, then preaches about the inevitable spread of the gospel around the entire world. However, He also notes that most people will reject this message, including the people of Israel.

Luke 9:51—19:27 is sometimes called "Jesus' Travelogue to Jerusalem." The segment describes how Jesus prepared the disciples for their future as He approached His own death and resurrection. Interspersed are a few altercations with religious leaders. There are calls for the crowd to repent of their sins and reconcile with God before it's too late. In Luke 13, two stories in particular reveal Jesus' heart. In one, He heals a long-suffering woman on the Sabbath; healing is a type of rest. In the last, He mourns the fact that, for now, the Jews as a nation will reject their Messiah.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.