(1) There were present at that season, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. (2) And Jesus answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? (3) I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (4) 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? (5) I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
We have no account of this discourse of Jesus by any other of the Evangelists. It will be proper, therefore, to notice it in this place. And it is remarkable also, that no historian hath noticed this act of Pilate. It differs from one related by the writer of the Jewish history, concerning Pilate's slaughter of certain Samaritans; so that it cannot be the same. The contempt Pilate manifested to their sacrifices, serves to shew the awfulness of his character. This pool of Siloam hath been supposed to have been the same with the waters of Shiloah, Isaiah 8:6; and others make it the same as the pool of Bethesda, John 5:2. But these are but conjectures. I rather would call the attention of the Reader to what may be considered as improvable from the whole passage. The repentance Jesus speaks of, I humbly conceive not to be intended as if it was an act of their mind, and in their own power; for this would be contrary to the whole tenor of the Gospel. It is the act of sovereign grace to work this in the sinner's mind. And all the persons of the Godhead are engaged in the gracious work of creating it in the mind of the people. God the Father pledgeth himself to give it, Ezekiel 36:24-27. Christ is said to be exalted as a Prince and a Savior for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins, Acts 5:31. And no less God the Holy Ghost is said to be a spirit of grace and supplication, that they on whom it is poured, may look unto him whom they have pierced, and mourn, Zechariah 12:10. Hence, as this is God's work, and not man's, and repentance is but an effect of this work, and not the cause, it never was meant, neither could it be expected, as a means of bringing sinners into a salvable state, but rather an evidence of their being brought. So that when the Lord saith, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish; this included Jerusalem sinners, as well as the sinners of Galilee; yea, all mankind in whom no saving change was wrought. For according to the unalterable language of Christ, without the new birth, and which (as a great principle includes the less), comprizeth repentance also towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, there could be no salvation. John 3:3; Acts 20:21. Reader! do not fail to mark in this discourse of the Lord Jesus, with which this Chapter opens, how sweetly Christ is preached, even where at the first view, we might least have expected him.