I. THE SELF-REVELATION OF CHRIST TO THE WORLD (i. 19-xii. 50).
II. THE SELF-REVELATION OF CHRIST TO THE DISCIPLES (xiii. 1-xxi. 23).*
19. This (airn). The following. This use of the pronoun, calling the reader’s attention to what follows, and preparing him for it, is frequent in John. Sometimes the pronoun carries the sense of quality: of this character. See iii. 19; xv.12; 1 John v. 4, 9, 11, 14.
Witness (uaprupia). Testimony. See on ver. 7, and 1 Pet. Vou.
John. See on ver.6. Note the article: the John previously mentioned.
The Jews (oi “Iovéaior). This is a characteristic word in John. It occurs more than fifty times in his Gospel as his own expression, while there are six instances of the formula Aing of the Jews used by Gentiles. In the Synoptic Gospels, on the other hand, to twelve instances of Hing of the Jews, there are but four passages in which the word Jews occurs. In Paul’s writings it is comparatively rare, mostly in contrast with Greek, and both in contrast with Christianity. In the Apocalypse it is found twice (ii. 9; iii. 9), of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are “of the synagogue of Satan” and “do lie.”
John, in the Gospel, distinguishes between the multitude (6 éyXos) and the Jews (Iovéaior). By the former he means the aggregate of the Jewish inhabitants of Palestine, the mass of the people, chiefly Galileans; by the latter, more particularly Judzans, the leaders of Judaism in opposition to Jesus. The multitude are unsettled in conviction, inquisitive, despised by the Pharisees, inclined to listen to Jesus and to believe; moved by an impulse to make Him a king, escorting Him triumphantly into Jerusalem, and not appearing in the narrative of the trial
*T take this division from Westcott.