John Calvin 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, or, By this we know. He now shows what true love is; for it would not have been enough to commend it, unless its power is understood. As an instance of perfect love, he sets before us the example of Christ; for he, by not sparing his own life, testified how much he loved us. This then is the standard to which he calls them to advance. The essence of what is said is that our love is approved when we transfer our self-love to our brothers and sisters, so that every one, as it were, forgetting himself, should seek the good of others.

It is indeed certain that we are far from being equal to Christ; but the Apostle recommends to us the imitation of him. For though we do not overtake him, it is still fitting that we should follow his steps, though at a distance. Doubtless, since it was the Apostle’s aim to expose and refute the vain boasting of hypocrites, who gloried that they had faith in Christ though without brotherly love, he intimated by these words that unless this feeling prevails in our hearts, we have no connection with Christ. Nor, however, does he, as I have said, set before us the love of Christ so as to require us to be equal to him; for what would this be but to drive us all to despair? But he means that our feelings should be so formed and regulated that we may desire to devote our life and also our death, first to God, and then to our neighbors.

There is another difference between us and Christ — the efficacy or benefit of our death cannot be the same. For the wrath of God is not appeased by our blood, nor is life obtained by our death, nor is punishment due to others suffered by us. But the Apostle, in this comparison, did not have in mind the purpose or the effect of Christ’s death; but he only meant that our life should be formed according to his example.