And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
] This was the third passover, since our Lord's baptism, and entrance on his public ministry; see ( John 2:13 ) ( 5:1 ) . Whether Christ went up to this feast is not certain; some think he did not; but from what is said in ( John 7:1 ) , it looks as if he did: how nigh it was to the feast, cannot well be said. Thirty days before the feast, they began to talk about it; and especially in the last fifteen days, they made preparations for it, as being at hand F2; and if there was now so long time to it, there was time enough for Jesus to go to it.