Haven’t seen you in quite a while[1]U2’s 1991 album Achtung Baby was their big re-invention, when they pivoted away from the overly-earnest, youthful idealism of the ‘80s, to the world-weary, techno-inflected ironists of … Continue reading
I was down the hold, just passing time
Last time we met was a low-lit room
We was as close together as a bride and groom[2]Christ of course is the bridegroom, and the Church is the bride: “And Jesus said unto them, Can the friends of the bridegroom fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will … Continue reading
We ate the food, we drank the wine[3]An allusion to the Last Supper, wherein the Sacrament of bread and wine—of Christ’s body and blood—was first inaugurated.
Everybody having a good time
Except you
You were talking about the end of the world[4]Matthew 25, which features the parables as the Ten Virgins, the Wise and Unprofitable Servants, the Sheep and the Goats, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels … Continue reading
I took the money[5]30 pieces of silver, to be precise.
I spiked your drink
You miss too much these days if you stop to think[6]The implication, of course, is that in our own unthinking day, replete with endless distractions and TV-shortened attention-spans, we just as easily betray Christ and each other (for if we do it unto … Continue reading
You lead me on with those innocent[7]Indeed, He was the only innocent being who ever lived: “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” -1 Peter 1:19 eyes
You know I love the element of surprise
In the garden[8]of Gethsemane, specifically I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart[9]“Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world
Love, love, love
Love
Love, love
Love, love, love
Love (love)
Love, love[10]Allusions to John 15:9-15, also delivered at the Last Supper:
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide … Continue reading
In my dream I was drowning my sorrows
But my sorrows, they learned to swim
Surrounding me, going down on me
Spilling over the brim
Waves of regret[11]“Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in … Continue reading and waves of joy
I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You, you said you’d wait
‘Til the end of the world[12]“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be … Continue reading
References
| ↑1 | U2’s 1991 album Achtung Baby was their big re-invention, when they pivoted away from the overly-earnest, youthful idealism of the ‘80s, to the world-weary, techno-inflected ironists of the ’90s. Yet though Achtung Baby is certainly a much different beast musically than, say, 1987’s The Joshua Tree (their other mega-selling fan-favorite album), it nevertheless preserves the same through-thread of borderline-Christian Rock that defines so much of their earlier work. Case in point: track 4 “Until the End of the World,” which on its surface could just be about some cynical Lothario breaking his lover’s heart at the Club, is also very obviously about the relationship between Jesus and Judas. |
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| ↑2 | Christ of course is the bridegroom, and the Church is the bride: “And Jesus said unto them, Can the friends of the bridegroom fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” -Mark 2:19 |
| ↑3 | An allusion to the Last Supper, wherein the Sacrament of bread and wine—of Christ’s body and blood—was first inaugurated. |
| ↑4 | Matthew 25, which features the parables as the Ten Virgins, the Wise and Unprofitable Servants, the Sheep and the Goats, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory,” and an explanation of who shall be found on his Left Hand and His Right on the Last Day, was canonically all delivered during the Last Supper.
That is, Christ really did spend his final mortal dinner talking about the end of the world. |
| ↑5 | 30 pieces of silver, to be precise. |
| ↑6 | The implication, of course, is that in our own unthinking day, replete with endless distractions and TV-shortened attention-spans, we just as easily betray Christ and each other (for if we do it unto the least of these, we do it unto Him), and for the exact same reason that Judas did: for the money. That is, if Bono is taking on the role of Judas in this song, it’s because we all do. |
| ↑7 | Indeed, He was the only innocent being who ever lived: “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” -1 Peter 1:19 |
| ↑8 | of Gethsemane, specifically |
| ↑9 | “Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?” |
| ↑10 | Allusions to John 15:9-15, also delivered at the Last Supper:
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. |
| ↑11 | “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” -Matt. 28:3-5 |
| ↑12 | “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” -John 17:12 |