U2: Until The End Of The World Meaning

Song Released: 1992

Until The End Of The World Lyrics

Haven't seen you in quite a while
I was down the hold just passing time
Last time we met was a low-lit room
We were as close together as a bride and groom
We ate the food, we drank the wine
Everybody having a good time
Except you
You were...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Dec 5th 2007 !⃝

   This song is about the betrayal of Jesus by Judas - and is from the perspective of Judas. It charts his disillusion with Jesus and his faith, the betryal kiss in the Garden Gethsemane and ultimately his comprehension, guilt and sorrow as he 'reaches out to the one he'd tried to destroy. This is their best song - and easily (once you get the story behind the word) their most powerful. An absolute diamond in their repatoire!
   
   Havent seen you in quite a while
   I was down the hold, just passing time
   Last time we met was a low-lit room
   We were as close together as bride and groom
   (Last supper at the table)
   We ate the food, we drank the wine
   Everybody having a good time
   (the sense of celebration by the apostles)
   Except you
   You were talking about the end of the world
   (Jesus predicts his demise and is forboding)
   
   I took the money, I spiked your drink
   (the pieces of silver for the betrayal)
   You miss too much these days if you stop to think
   You led me on with those innocent eyes
   And you know I love the element of surprise
   (showing up at Gethsemane as Jesus prayed)
   In the garden I was playing the tart
   I kissed your lips and broke your heart
   (he kisses Jesus to betray him - and Jesus is hurt as Judas was one of his finest diciples)
   You, you were acting like it was the end of the world
   
   In my dream I was drowning my sorrows
   (the guilt is overpowering)
   But my sorrows they learned to swim
   Surrounding me, going down on me
   (the guilt forces him to commit suicide)
   Spilling over the brim
   In waves of regret, waves of joy
   I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
   You, you said youd wait until the end of the world.
   (Judas finally realises that Jesus had forgiven him even before he had betrayed him - and understands at the very end - the love and very nature of Jesus)
2. anonymous

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   Feb 25th 2023 !⃝

   Judas’s remorse was not repentance of sin, as the King James version suggests. Matthew did not use metanoeo, which means a genuine change of mind and will, but metamelomai, which merely connotes regret or sorrow. He did not experience spiritual penitence but only emotional remorse. Although he would not repent of his sin, he could not escape the reality of his guilt. Genuine sorrow for sin (metamelomai) can be prompted by God in order to produce repentance (metanoeo), as Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 7:10. But Judas’s remorse was not prompted by God to lead to repentance but only to guilt and despair.
   
   Because he was a kind of witness against Jesus, perhaps Judas thought that by admitting the wickedness of what he had done he would be punished as a false witness, as Deuteronomy 19:16–19 prescribed. Under that provision, he would have been crucified himself, suffering the penalty imposed on the one he caused to be falsely convicted. Instead of looking to Jesus’ for forgiveness and trusting in His atoning death, Judas’s perverted mind may have led him to believe that by dying he somehow could atone for his own sin.
   
   Proof that Judas’s sorrow was ungodly and selfish is seen in the fact that he made no effort to defend or rescue Jesus. He had no desire to vindicate or save Jesus but only to salve his own conscience, which he attempted to do by returning the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
3. anonymous

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   Oct 24th 2011 !⃝

   When they do this song live on the ZOOTV DVD, Bono is not just playing Judas Iscariot. He is also in the guise of the PostModern Mega-Media Big Brother Technology of Television and Internet and IPHONE's, etc.
   The first subliminal message at the beginning of the second song, "The Fly", is "The Media is the Anti-Christ". What they probably mean by this is that all this technology (That huge plasma screen in the living room, that Cell Phone that customer in line is talking into, the free Wi-Fi at Starbucks that keeps us chained to our laptops)--all this is robbing us of fundamental, filial human interaction. "Dude, shut up. I'm trying to watch 'Jersey Shore'."
   Later on in "The Fly" there is the message--"Mock the Devil and He Shall Flee from Thee". This satirical mockery was behind all those theatrics on the ZOOTV tour: Bono coming on stage as his alter-ego, 'The Fly', with Lou Reed's sunglasses, Elvis' leather jacket, Jim Morrison's leather pants--stumbling around like a stoned Jim Morrison, waving the Peace sign--this is all in mockery of what the Media turns our rock stars into--Gods or Devils--more or less than merely human.
   When he kisses the camera towards the end of Until the End of the World he's in the guise of this infernal Mass-Media (The Devil, the Anti-Christ) which has grown a zillion-fold since that 1993 concert (talk about prescient!). When he humps the camera he's making a statement about the huge pornography business which has created a whole new addiction for many, many men--simulated sex--it's also ruined many relationships. (I believe, during the encore, when Bono comes on as MacPhisto, he's doing word play with Phist or Fist! Ha!
   Just think of The Sermon on the Mount--blessed are the poor/poverty of spirit/love and charity. That's the last thing your television will tell you!!!!
   Also, one of the Commandments--Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's ass (i.e. possessions). But the television and Internet work extremely hard to get you to covet the latest and greatest products--to keep up with your neighbor. Mass consumption, infinite variety and infinite choice--we are being victimized by our own Media. It's time to wizen up.
4. bobdylan

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   Apr 15th 2009 !⃝

   Splendid interpretation. For fifteen years I was in love with this song, clueless as to what it was about. Then on one of their live DVD's they revealed all. We must remember that in the Gospels Jesus says he's going to pick 12 and one will be the devil. I know you dudes are Christians (and well so am I) but if you would take the time to study Hebrew scripture you'd learn (through study with a scholar, not an indoctrinarian) that satan means adversary, in the Hebrew. Read the Book of Job, for instance, in that he makes a deal with God: I'll screw up his life and see if he keeps his head up. God says fine, just don't kill him. So Satan does everything except kill him. I.E. He does the will of God. Sorry, if I'm upsetting some Mormons or Evangelicals--but really, I'm not--they deserve it!
5. anonymous

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   Dec 8th 2008 !⃝

   I always thought it was about a love for his guitar or something,
   
   "and she sang" (Guitar part)
   "when I sing along with you"
   
   i dunno that just seemed to make sense to me
6. blue

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   Jul 6th 2008 !⃝

   It's a conversation between Jesus and Judas. There are numerous obvious biblical references in the song (bread/wine, garden, kissed your lips, etc.). I think it's mainly Judas telling Jesus how he feels. At the end Bono sings "I reached out for the one I tried to destroy" which could imply Judas asking for forgiveness.

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