What is the meaning of John 10:10? The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10a) • Jesus identifies a real spiritual enemy. As 1 Peter 5:8 warns, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”. • His strategy is threefold: – Steal: robbing people of truth and joy (Mark 4:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4). – Kill: working through sin that “brings forth death” (James 1:15). – Destroy: aiming for eternal ruin (Revelation 12:9–10). • This clarifies that anything opposing God’s purposes—false teaching, temptation, fear—traces back to the thief. Knowing the threat keeps us alert (Ephesians 6:11-12). I have come – “I have come…” (John 10:10b) • Jesus contrasts Himself with the thief by emphasizing His personal arrival. • He is the promised Good Shepherd (John 10:11) who enters history in flesh (John 1:14) to rescue, not condemn (John 3:17). • His coming fulfills God’s relentless pursuit seen throughout Scripture: the Lord walking with Adam (Genesis 3:8), seeking the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), and “seeking and saving the lost” (Luke 19:10). that they may have life – “…that they may have life…” (John 10:10c) • Life here is both spiritual and eternal. Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). • This life begins now through new birth (John 3:3-6) and is secured forever: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36). • It is God’s gift—“the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). • Assurance flows from Christ’s finished work (1 John 5:11-12). and have it in all its fullness – “…and have it in all its fullness.” (John 10:10d) • Fullness means abundance that overflows daily, not mere survival. – Joy: “In Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). – Power: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). – Fruitfulness: abiding in Christ produces “much fruit” (John 15:5; Galatians 5:22-23). – Confidence: God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). • Abundance is not about material excess but a deep, satisfying relationship with the Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). summary John 10:10 draws a sharp line between the thief’s destructive agenda and Jesus’ life-giving mission. The enemy steals, kills, and destroys; Jesus comes personally to grant life—eternal, vibrant, overflowing life—now and forever. Staying close to the Shepherd shields us from the thief and keeps us walking in the fullness only Christ can provide. |
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