John Calvin Commentary John 5:1

"After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem." — John 5:1 (ASV)

There was a feast of the Jews. Though the Evangelist does not expressly state what feast this was, the probable conjecture is that he means Pentecost, at least if what is related here took place immediately after Christ came into Galilee. For immediately after the Passover, He set out from Jerusalem, and as He was passing through Samaria, He reckoned four months to the harvest; having entered Galilee, He cured the courtier’s son.

The Evangelist adds that the feast came afterwards; and, therefore, the order of time leads us to conclude that we should understand it to be Pentecost, though I do not dispute that matter. Now Christ came to Jerusalem to the feast, partly because at that time, due to the great multitude of people assembled, He had the opportunity to proclaim His doctrine more widely, and partly because it was necessary for Him to be subject to the Law, so that He might redeem us from the bondage of the Law, as we have previously explained.