The story told in The Gospel of John about Jesus going or not going to the Feast of Booths has always made me a little nervous. At first glance it appears to present Jesus as lying to his brothers about his intention to go up to Jerusalem so as to participate in the festival. The passage reads as follows:
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. (John 7:1–10 ESV)
They suggested he go; he said he was not going.