Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles were biblical pilgrimage festivals associated with worship before God. In the Second Temple period Jerusalem drew pilgrims from Judea, Galilee, and Jewish communities throughout the wider Mediterranean world.
The Torah commanded Israelite males to appear before God at the appointed pilgrimage festivals. The Jerusalem Temple gave these commands a powerful geographical focus during the Second Temple period.
Pilgrimage required preparation, travel, food, lodging, money, and coordination with relatives or companions. For families living far from Jerusalem it could be a major journey rather than a routine outing.
Roads, monumental approaches to Jerusalem, ritual baths, public spaces, coins, and other remains help illustrate the infrastructure needed to receive large numbers of pilgrims.
Scripture, Josephus, Jewish literature, and the New Testament all attest pilgrimage and festival travel to Jerusalem.
Exodus, Deuteronomy, and other biblical texts establish the pilgrimage festivals and command appearance before God at the chosen sanctuary.
The Gospels portray Jesus traveling to Jerusalem for festivals. Luke describes His family making the Passover journey when He was young, while all four Gospels place His final visit in the setting of Passover.
Pilgrimage was an important feature of Second Temple Jewish life and could bring very large numbers of visitors to Jerusalem during festivals.
Not every Jewish person could necessarily make every pilgrimage every year. Distance, health, poverty, work, age, and family circumstances affected participation.
Pilgrimage explains the crowds, travel, festival atmosphere, and diverse Jewish population present in Jerusalem during major Gospel events.