Jesus has the sharp, double-edged sword. He is in the position of authority and power, and when he wields that authority it is a blessing for those who follow and a condemnation for those who do not.
Pergamon’s acropolis holds the steep theatre, the terrace of the temple of Trajan, the site of the great altar, and what remains of the library. The altar itself was taken to Berlin in the nineteenth century. The letter’s hard image of a throne is often read against this hill. We repeat the verse, not a theory.
In the modern town of Bergama the Red Basilica, a vast red-brick hall, is the second stop. A cable car now climbs the acropolis. The walk at the top is exposed.