By Charles Gardner — 
This is the story of a very gifted Jewish boy whose grandparents fled the pogroms of Russia to seek freedom in America.
Yet although Robert Zimmerman (aka Bob Dylan) came to write many ‘freedom’ songs, he didn’t exactly feel free when his rapid rise to fame exposed him to the annoying hassle of everyone wanting to ‘own’ him.
A Complete Unknown, the stunning new movie about him, is a nostalgic re-visit to early sixties music and culture focusing on Dylan’s extraordinary impact.
So what is true freedom? Dylan was to find out in time but the film, with a title taken from a line in one of his many big hits, covers only the early years (1961-65) of the legendary singer-songwriter’s long career.
It is not always a pretty sight, because in those years Dylan was badly behaved. Or in the words of one of his girlfriends, a bit of a ‘jerk’. The songs were great, of course, as were the actors Timothee Chalamet and Monica Barbaro (playing Joan Baez) who, astonishingly, sang and played all the numbers – the credits helpfully informing us that there were two harmonica coaches!
Sharing my afterthoughts with a fellow fan sitting behind us, I asked him if he knew that Bob later turned to Jesus. He did know, I’m glad to say.
Yes, the complex, difficult character portrayed in the film later went on to make his peace with God, shocking the music world with three explicitly Christian albums including Slow Train Coming, Saved, and Shot of Love.
The albums make it clear he became a disciple of Christ. And what a contrast!
I have the album Saved at home, though I’m not sure if I’ve ever listened to the words properly before. But it’s all about Jesus. The title song speaks of being “saved by the blood of Jesus”. Other songs ask questions like “When he rose from the dead, did they believe?” And “Are you ready to meet Jesus?”
Then I turned to the inside cover of the album, which really said it all for this Jewish artist known for protest songs like “The Times They Are a’ Changing”, which became an anthem for the civil rights movement. Emblazoned across the page in large type are the words of Jeremiah 31.31: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”
The New Covenant was of course for the ‘house of Israel’ in the first instance. Yes, Gentile Christians would later benefit, but it was essentially to the Jews that the promise was made.
So it seems that Bob Dylan was (more than four decades ago) among the pioneers of the modern movement of ‘Messianic’ Jews who follow Yeshua their Messiah. And the covenant was about entering into a personal relationship with the living God, with his law written on the hearts of his people (Jeremiah 31:33f).
The old Dylan had a new heart, and the words of his songs now spoke volumes about his faith. Not that his early numbers weren’t also influenced by biblical thought. “The first one now will later be last” (from “The Times They Are a-Changing”) comes straight from the mouth of Jesus (Matthew 19:30) and “Blowing in the wind” is somewhat prophetic with its refrain, “The answer my friend [to the world’s troubles] is blowing in the wind”.
For Jesus compares the blowing of the wind to the moving of the Holy Spirit which is essential if we are to be born again and understand God’s ways.
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8).
As it happens, there was a scene in the film where, sitting in a church pew, Bob picked up a Bible and began thumbing through it.
Amidst all the carnage and chaos, we are nevertheless witnessing a new day in which we are beginning to see Israel turn back to the God who made a unique covenant with them.
As with Dylan, we are never considered a hopeless case with the Lord. He is constantly courting us with his love, willing only that we should respond and enter into the most satisfying relationship of all.
At the end of the day, in Dylan’s own words, “You gonna have to serve somebody; it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you gonna have to serve somebody.”
Related: How Bob Dylan Came to Christ
Man who led Dylan to Christ says singer is still walking with Jesus
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