Whence and Whither A Narrative Perspective on Birth a[nwqen 155 ministry was to reveal Jesus to Israel (v. 31). The story about Jesus calling disciples (1,35-51) closes as follows: “…you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (v. 51). This closing is prepared for by references in the immediate context to “seeing”, “finding” and “believing” the Messiah. V. 51 makes an explicit reference to Jacob’s theophany in Gen 28,12. All disciples are promised a vision like Jacob’s. They will thereby truly become Israelites like Nathanael (v. 47). In the light of Philo’s well- known etymological explanation of the meaning of Israel (Gen 32,28- 30) as “the one who sees God” (6), the epistemological interest of John’s text becomes even more apparent. Jesus revealed his glory in Cana, and the disciples believed in him (John 2,11). The narrator makes this comment on the incident and thus turns it into a story about knowing Jesus and his ministry. The steward is caught by surprise when he tastes the wine (oujk h[/dei povqen ejstivn); his statement echoes what Jesus in John 3,8 says about the person who is born a[nwqen. As with the wind, human knowledge cannot under- stand the mystery; it can only experience it. This illustration thus puts epistemology at the centre of the text. Twice in chapter 2 (vv. 17.22), true knowledge is connected with Scripture. From this it follows that a teacher of Israel, like Nicodemus, is supposed to have proper knowledge. But his knowledge seems to stop at acknowledging Jesus as “a teacher come from God” (John 3,2). This knowledge falls short of the truth because Nicodemus fails to see that Jesus is from above. Three times in vv. 3-8 Nicodemus asks questions making him as an outsider to the true knowledge of Jesus and his ministry. Jesus says to him: tau'ta ouj ginwvskei"; (v. 10). This is contrasted with v. 11, where the knowledge of the insiders is emphasized. V. 2 introduces the question of knowledge at the outset of this narrative. This is pointed out by Neyrey (7), who draws attention to the fact that Nicodemus’ statement (“we know…”) in v. 2 is challenged by Jesus’ response in v. 3 (“unless…”). Nicodemus’ claim to know is replaced by his questions to Jesus. As the dialogue in chap. 3 proceeds, the question of knowledge develops into “entering” the Kingdom of God, “believing” in the Son (6) For Philo references, see J.H. NEYREY, “The Jacob Allusions in John 1:51”, CBQ 44 (1982) 586-605, esp. 592, n. 30. (7) J.H. NEYREY, “John III – A Debate over Johannine Epistemology and Christology”, NT 23 (1981) 115-127. See also C.S. KEENER, The Gospel of John. A Commentary (Peabody, MA 2003) I, 234-247.