JESUS OFTEN AVOIDED PUBLIC EXPOSURE  
All religious gatherings involve public prayer. Jesus gave many verbal instructions that inform us about public displays of religion through his own practices regarding prayer. Jesus’ practices are discussed in detail in this link.

He also taught by example as we see in these stories.

John 7:1 10: 1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him. 

COMMENTARY: Jesus’ disciples were learning some things from his teachings but they still did not trust him fully. One thing they did not understand was the principle of not practicing righteousness in public. Lacking this understanding, they thought it was good and appropriate to be seen doing religious things in public whenever possible. In fact, they argued against doing things in secret. Jesus did not correct them, but he also did not listen to them. He was under no compulsion to go and do something religious just because his disciples encouraged him to do so. 

Jesus understood the principle of avoiding public religion and would not violate that principle. This does not mean that he never went into a public religious place just to be seen. When he went anyplace, he went for a reason. That reason always was to tear down idols by confronting religious leaders and to set people free from captivity to religion.

6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 

 COMMENTARY: Religious people are always ready to do something religion. In this story, the opportunity is to participate in a religious tradition (i.e. Feast of Tabernacles). Jesus would not participate in a religious tradition because he knew that traditions were a stumbling block to righteousness.

When he said my time is not here, he says in effect that he has not heard from God about what he should do. He only does what he sees the father doing

7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. 10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.

COMMENTARY: Jesus refused to go to the festival despite the encouragement he received from his disciples. He went later after he got the release to go from God. But, even then, he went in secret. In other words, he observed the festival in the secret place of his heart. He did not need to go to a religious place to celebrate.

See Tabernacles, Temples, Altars, High Places and Pilgrimages.