Jacob asked Locke to "help me" back when Locke first went in that cabin. My theory is that this has something to with that.
Maybe Richard is holding Jacob prisoner, or something along those lines of Jacob being in prison, considering he is always attached to the cabin, could be his prison.
which leads to believe where does Kelvin come from, or is he just some random Dharma guy recruited before the Purge after the Gulf War? And then later partnered up with Radzinsky in The Swan?
My theory is Richard is keeping Jacob 'prisoner' with that line of stuff around the cabin (remember the episode where Locke first goes to the cabin?) and that by killing/releasing Jacob, Richard will also age/die/whatever.
Holy Picture Of Dorian Gray, Batman! Sorry. Had to say that. It does seem like Jacob, and the Island, is being forcibly held and the power that they hold has probably been abused by Widmore, Ben, and possibly Richard. John seems to the first person in a long time that has the island's best interest in mind. I don't think he meant it in a literal sense of "killing" Jacob. Maybe it meant that he'll release him from his bondage and allow him to move on, taking the power of the island with him. Which means that Locke will just rule an island with no energy or smoke monster, as it was possibly meant to me.
Anybody see that freaky commercial, where it asked "What did you see." Anyone have any ideas about this.
I dunno. Jacob sounded like a suffering man begging for death when he said to Locke, "Help me..." in season 3.