“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10 (NASB)
Christians love this verse! I hear it quoted a lot to encourage us when we undergo spiritual battles. It’s presumed that the verse warns us about the devil’s machinations and inspires us with the promise of Christ’s blessings.
Because what Jesus said here means so much to believers, I’d like to dig into it to discover what the Lord is telling us.
This verse occurs in the middle of Christ’s discussion about sheep, shepherds, and strangers (John 10:1-18). Jesus is the good shepherd, God’s people are the sheep, and–well, there are some bad guys!
John 10:10 is constructed as an antithetical parallelism. That’s a fancy way of saying that it contains two opposing thoughts. Jesus contrasts the damage intended by a robber with the bounty He seeks to give.
We can interpret this as a description of how thieves harm people. One way is by taking property that doesn’t belong to them. Another is by murdering anyone who tries to stop them. And a final way is by wrecking things as they search for valuables.
But remember that Jesus is characterizing His disciples as sheep. Flocks don’t have homes stuffed with furniture, electronics, and jewelry. Sheep have only themselves.
If a thief breaks into a sheep pen, what’s he trying to steal? Sheep! And why would he want to do that?
So he can eat them!
The Greek word that’s translated “kill” means to sacrifice or slaughter. And “destroy” also includes the ideas of killing and putting to death.
Why did the thief break in to steal, kill, and destroy? Because he was hungry and the sheep were on his dinner menu!
So who is the thief? Many preachers insist that it’s the devil because only our chief adversary could inflict the harm that Christ depicts.
But in the immediate context, Jesus isn’t discussing the devil or demons. Rather, He specifies false messiahs who preceded His arrival to Israel. These individuals took it upon themselves to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies about a coming redeemer. But they can’t offer people what God promised: peace, plenty, and salvation. Only the One Whom God anointed, Jesus His Son, qualifies. He alone is the true Deliverer.
In contrast to selfish thieves who used people to make a name for themselves, Jesus prioritizes the lives of His sheep. He not only guards us, but prospers us. We do more than survive; we thrive.
Many Christians love this simple verse of Scripture for the hope that it offers. Jesus distinguishes Himself against those who would manipulate and consume us for their own selfish ends. He protects us from their spiritual violence and graces us with prosperity and security.
This is the work of Jesus our Good Shepherd.
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