John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:10
The contrast is explicit: the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy; Jesus comes to give life abundantly. This juxtaposition is about motive and outcome. The thief represents external or internal forces that threaten life—oppression, deception, coercion—while Jesus embodies the source of true life—wholeness, flourishing, and joy. The promise of abundance is not only material prosperity but a life saturated with God’s presence and purpose.
This verse anchors the soteriological and eschatological hope of John’s Gospel: life—abundant life—belongs to those who belong to Jesus. It reframes suffering and hardship within a larger narrative of God’s redemptive work. It also critiques counterfeit life offered by sin, fear, or power.
Ask: What drains your life? What nourishes it? Bring into awareness the areas where you chase counterfeit abundance—comforts, status, control—and redirect toward life in Christ: loving others, pursuing justice, practicing generosity, and cultivating gratitude. When facing spiritual opposition or fear, remember that Jesus’ aim is fullness of life—seek that, not merely relief from pain. Build rhythms that sustain life—Sabbath rest, communal worship, thoughtful generosity.
Cross-References
- John 7:37-38 (rivers of living water)
- Galatians 5:22-23 (fruit of the Spirit—life)
- Romans 6:22 (free from sin, made alive to God)
- Psalm 16:11 (you make known the path of life)