Did the Gentiles at the feast come to worship or just to watch?
The Greeks among the crowd came up to the feast ostensibly to worship, yet the context suggests they likely mingled out of curiosity to watch the Jewish worship, much like tourists observing at the Wailing Wall. They then sought to see Jesus.
Les explains that John 12:20 describes certain Greeks—Gentiles—among those who came up to the feast to worship. He cautions, however, that this does not necessarily mean they came to worship. He compares it to his group in Jerusalem on Sabbath morning when the guide took them to the Wailing Wall and they, like tourists, took cameras and watched Jews going through their worship out of curiosity. Les thinks Gentiles likely mingled among the Jewish crowds more or less to witness what was happening among these worshiping Jews; it was probably quite a phenomenon. Even so, the text says these Greeks came to Philip of Bethsaida and asked to see Jesus, probably having heard of His miracles. Philip, remembering earlier situations, did not want to bring Gentiles into Christ’s presence alone, so he went to Andrew.