John 2:12,13 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

After this he went down to Capernaum A city that lay near the north part of the sea of Galilee, and on the south border of the land of Naphthali. See note on Matthew 4:13. Here Christ and his disciples continued but a short time, the passover of the Jews being at hand, which Jesus, who was made under the law, and maintained a religious regard to its ceremonial, as well as its moral precepts, would not neglect attending: thus teaching us by his example a strict observance of all divine institutions, and a diligent attendance on religious assemblies. As the evangelists have not informed us how many passovers happened between the baptism and death of Christ, or during the course of his public ministry, learned men have been much divided in their opinions on the subject. But by far the greater part have supposed there were four, reckoning this the first; the feast mentioned John 5:1, the second; the passover spoken of John 6:4, as the third; and that at which Christ suffered, the fourth. But there are others of a different opinion. The celebrated Sir Isaac Newton reckons five; the first, this which is now before us; the second, according to him, happened four months after Christ's discourse with the woman of Samaria, John 4:35; the third, a few days before the story of the disciples rubbing the ears of corn, Luke 6:1; the fourth, a little after the feeding of the five thousand; and the last, at the time of our Lord's crucifixion.