The Promise (Passion play)
Jesus and His disciples meet in an upper room to celebrate the Passover, and he gives them some of his final teachings, assuring them that His spirit and His peace will always be with them ("Shalom"). Judas leaves the table to betray Jesus to the priests and Pharisees. Jesus predicts that all his disciples will fall away, but Peter insists that he will never leave Jesus. Jesus warns him that before the rooster crows, he will deny Jesus three times. Jesus and the rest of His disciples go into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray ("He Is Jehovah" (reprise)). The disciples fall asleep. Jesus begs God to take away the suffering he will endure, but then asks that God's will be done so that God may be glorified ("Glorify Your Son"§). The disciples awaken as Judas returns with some Roman soldiers. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, and the soldiers arrest him and lead him away.
Twelfth Apostle
Another interesting aspect is the title. The "twelfth apostle" of Jesus Christ was Judas, the traitor. What all this means (and there have been many speculations) is impossible to know, but the title track definitely references religious imagery. "They say you’re the one to rely on all the days/ they say you died before/ and you’re smiling now/Well I would like to know you." But by song's end salvation has not been received, with the singer moaning "where are you going/come back again." Is this a man who cannot be "saved?" Hard to know, but an interesting twist.