The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
The cleansing of the temple about to be related should not be confused with a second cleansing during the final week of our Lord's life on earth  (Matthew 21:12f;  Mark 11:15;  Luke 19:45).  In this cleansing, Jesus made use of a scourge, but none was mentioned in the synoptic accounts of the second cleansing.  Far from being any difficulty, John's relation of this dramatic cleansing gives the explanation of the implacable hatred of the Pharisees and other keepers of the temple concessions, the hatred being evident enough in the synoptics, but this practical reason for it at so early a date appearing only in John.