John Calvin Commentary Ephesians 5:25

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;" — Ephesians 5:25 (ASV)

Husbands, love your wives. From husbands, on the other hand, the apostle requires that they cherish no ordinary love toward their wives; for to them, also, he holds out the example of Christ—even as Christ also loved the church. If they are honored to bear his image and to be, in some measure, his representatives, they also ought to resemble him in the discharge of duty.

And gave himself for it. This is intended to express the strong affection which husbands ought to have for their wives, though he immediately afterwards takes the opportunity to commend the grace of Christ. Let husbands imitate Christ in this respect, that he did not scruple to die for his church. One unique consequence, indeed, which resulted from his death—that by it he redeemed his church—is altogether beyond the power of men to imitate.