Albert Barnes Commentary 1 John 3:16

"Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." — 1 John 3:16 (ASV)

Hereby perceive we the love of God. The words "of God" are not in the original and should not have been introduced into the translation, though they are found in the Latin Vulgate, the Genevan versions, and in one manuscript. They would naturally convey the idea that God laid down his life for us, or that God himself, in his Divine nature, suffered.

However, this idea is not expressed in this passage as it is in the original, and of course, no argument can be derived from it either to prove that Christ is God or that the divine nature is capable of suffering. The original is much more expressive and emphatic than it is with this addition: By this we know love; that is, we know what true love is; we see a most affecting and striking illustration of its nature. Love itself—its real nature, its power, its sacrifices, its influences—was seen in its highest form when the Son of God gave himself to die on a cross. For an illustration of the sentiment, see the notes on John 3:16 and John 15:3.

Because he laid down his life for us. There can be no doubt that the Savior is here referred to, though his name is not mentioned particularly. There are several instances in the New Testament where he is mentioned under the general appellation "he," as one who was well known, and about whom the writers were accustomed to speak.

And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. For the good of our fellow-Christians, if it is necessary. That is, circumstances may occur where it would be proper to do it, and we ought always to be ready to do it. The spirit which led the Savior to sacrifice his life for the good of the church should lead us to do the same thing for our brethren if circumstances should require it. That this is a correct principle no one can doubt, for:

1. The Savior did it, and we are bound to imitate his example and to possess his spirit;
2. The prophets, apostles, and martyrs did it, laying down their lives in the cause of truth and for the good of the church and the world; and
3. It has always been held that it is right and proper, in certain circumstances, for a man to lay down his life for the good of others. So we speak of the patriot who sacrifices his life for the good of his country; so we feel in the case of a shipwreck, that it may be the duty of a captain to sacrifice his life for the good of his passengers and crew; so in case of a pestilential disease, a physician should not regard his own life if he may save others; and so we always hold the man up to honor who is willing to jeopardize his own life on noble principles of self-denial for the good of his fellow-men.

In what cases this should occur the apostle does not state; but the general principle would seem to be, that it is to be done when a greater good would result from our self-sacrifice than from carefully guarding our own lives. Thus, in the case of a patriot, his death, in the circumstances, might be of greater value to his country than his life would be; or, his exposing himself to death would be a greater service to his country than if that should not be done.

Thus the Savior laid down his life for the good of mankind; thus the apostles exposed their lives to constant peril in extending the principles of religion; and thus the martyrs surrendered their lives in the cause of the church and of truth. In like manner we ought to be ready to hazard our lives, and even to lay them down, if in that way we may promote the cause of truth, and the salvation of sinners, or serve our Christian brethren.

In what way this injunction was understood by the primitive Christians may be perceived from what the world is reported to have said of them, "Behold, how they love one another; they are ready to die for one another."—Tertullian, Apology, chapter 39. So Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History, book 7, chapter 22) says of Christians that "in a time of plague they visited one another, and not only hazarded their lives, but actually lost them in their zeal to preserve the lives of others." We are not indeed to throw away our lives; we are not to expose them in a rash, reckless, imprudent manner; but when, in the discharge of duty, we are placed in a situation where life is exposed to danger, we are not to shrink from the duty, or to run away from it. Perhaps the following would embrace the principal instances of the duty here enjoined by the apostle:

1. We ought to have such love for the church that we should be willing to die for it, as a patriot is willing to die for his country.
2. We ought to have such love for Christians as to be willing to jeopardize our lives to aid them—as in case of a pestilence or plague, or when they are in danger by fire, flood, or foes.
3. We ought to have such love for the truth as to be willing to sacrifice our lives rather than deny it.
4. We ought to have such love for the cause of our Master as to be willing to cross oceans, snows, and sands; to visit distant and perilous regions, though at imminent risk of our lives, and though with the prospect that we shall never see our country again.
5. We ought to have such love for the church that we shall engage heartily and constantly in services of labour and self-sacrifice on its account, until, our work being done, exhausted nature shall sink to rest in the grave. In one word, we should regard ourselves as devoted to the service of the Redeemer, living or dying to be found engaged in his cause. If a case should actually occur where the question would arise whether a man would abandon his Christian brother or die, he ought not to hesitate; in all cases he should regard his life as consecrated to the cause of Zion and its friends. Once, in the times of primitive piety, there was much of this spirit in the world; how little, it is to be feared, does it prevail now!