| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| I do read the Bible, as you suggest, and if you do, I think you'll enjoy my comments on 12 Aug 2007 and today, 29 Mar 2010. | |
| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| You're right this is a masterpiece but I think you've overlooked all the references Dylan has given to help us understand it. If you're interested, see my comments on 12 Aug 2007 and today, 29 Mar 2010. | |
| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| If you're still interested, see my comments on 12 Aug, 2007 and today, 29 Mar 2010. | |
| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| G'day. If you're still interested, see my comments on 12 Aug 2007 and today, 29 Mar 2010. | |
| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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"He'll put the priest in his pocket, put the blade to the heat" is not talking about Jesus but the Antichrist. To have someone in your pocket is to be bribing them; the "blade to the heat" is to brand his followers with the mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-17) and he does it with the connivance of the religious authorities. |
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| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| That should be, my comments of 12 August, 2007, not 8 Dec 2007. Sorry, but I live in New Zealand where we write the day before the month. | |
| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Further to my comments 8 Dec 2007, "The defining traits of the jokerman are that he is a night-dweller; he's a mocker; he's arrogant and narcissistic; he's an idolator and he will come to a bad end. All his mockery will cease when he at last has to face the consequences of his choices". Jokerman cannot be Jesus or Abraham because Dylan trusts Abraham & Jesus - Dylan's warning the jokerman that he's heading for disaster because he's mocking what's holy. "Freedom just around the corner for you, but with the truth so far off, what good will it do?" Freedom can't happen without the truth that sets us free (John 8:31-32) and mocking can't take us there: "a scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none" (Prov 14:6). "You were born with a snake in both of your fists" refers to jokerman thinking he's as invincible as the demi-god Hercules who strangled two snakes while in his crib. I'm happy to discuss more with any interested. |
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| Bob Dylan – Jokerman Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I love Dylan and this is one of my all-time favourite songs. Here's my take on it. The defining traits of the jokerman are that he is a night-dweller; he's a mocker; he's arrogant and narcissistic; he's an idolator and he will come to a bad end. All his mockery will cease when he at last has to face the consequences of his choices. This was written when all Dylan's songs had astonishingly insightful Biblical connections. How are these for starters? Psalm 1:1 "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked... nor sit in the seat of scoffers!" The jokerman is the wordly-wise scoffer, mocking everything that is holy. He thinks this will bring him freedom but doesn't see that freedom only comes from finding and walking in the truth (John 8:31-32). The idol with the iron head and glowing eyes refers to the ancient Cannanite fertility rites where they sacrificed their own children (Ezekiel 20:31). And Romans 13:12 - "The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light". The jokerman, however, loves the night, rushing in where even angels and fools won't go. The only changes he thinks he needs are external but, like a snake, the shed skin only reveals the same snake and that will never satisfy his internal persecutor - his own conscience (Romans 2:14-15) He can please all the crowds, taking every politically correct view, not worrying about society becoming like Sodom & Gomorrah (Luke 17:28-30) because "nobody there would want to marry your sister"! "The fiery furnace and rich man without any name" comes from Luke 16:19-31), wrning the jokerman that all his fame and riches will mean nothing in the after-life. The references to Leviticus, Deuteronomy, the law of the jungle and the sea as his "only teachers" reveal his ruthless, survival of the fittest, self-obsession so that he thinks he's truly heroic and worthy of adulation. He doesn't see that the whole, vulnerable world that we are is actually being approached from only two angles - the sniper (Satan) and the preacher (anyone with the message of Jesus). In this vicious spiritual warfare, we will be caught in any falsehood that we tolerate. The woman is Babylon the harlot (Revelation, chap 17-18), who gives birth to the final Antichrist - when the jokerman sees this final act, he'll see the outcome of his mockery and know he's lost his soul. So who's the jokerman? |
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