There are two crowds, one following Jesus from Bethany and the other coming out to meet Him from Jerusalem (12:13). This crowd is going out to see Him because they want to see for themselves the one who has done such a marvelous thing.

John 12:13  They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

“sign” = is something full of meaning that is not an end in itself; it points men beyond itself. John sees miracles as a means of teaching men spiritual truth and pointing them to God (3:2, 9:16). Morris observes that the signs take their origin from God and point men back to Him, so it is not surprising that they result in faith.

John 3:2  He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

John 9:16  Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.