Gospel of John Theme of Love

According to the Gospel of John (and Dante), love is what sets everything in motion. "For God so loved the world," remember? Yeah, that's the 3:16 business. In this gospel, love is the essence of God, and those who love Jesus will get to share the prize. Those who don't love Jesus… well, let's just say things aren't going to work out so well for them.

1. Why does Jesus compare God to a father? Can God also be like a mother? How does the metaphor of parental love help us understand what Jesus means when he explains God's love?
2. Compare Jesus's thoughts on love in Matthew 5:43-8 and John 14:23-4. How are the two statements different? How are they similar?
3. How does Jesus convince people that dying for them is the ultimate act of love?