Wasn't he the first capitalist? Graham Stevens, Marbella, Spain

Judas doesn’t need our forgiveness. The only forgiveness that really counts is God’s. And all of us need that. Matt Hellyer, Horsham

The Gospel of John says that Judas was a thief and that it was this that caused him to betray Jesus for money. The Scipture also says that Satan entered into him. Jesus knew all along that he would be betrayed, but being the man he was, he was prepared to give Judas a second chance as he does with all of us. Tom Smith, Abilene, Texas

The concept of a "makeover" for Judas has got to be the modern day equivalent of the discussion of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. The responsibility and authority for forgiveness or demonisation belongs to those who have been trespassed against, legally constituted authority and God. The idea that the head of an organisation whose agents are guilty of sexual abuse of their most innocent members and whose leadership is guilty of covering up their agents' trangressions would presume to set themselves up as the arbiters of this purported conflict is laughable. They long ago forfeited the "high ground" in any moral discussion. Timothy Bulger, Waterford, Connecticut

A number of serious Christian and Jewish scholars in Israel believe that Judas was trying to kick-start Jesus's role as Messiah by organising a confrontation between the religious authorities and his lord. When he saw that it had not succeeded, but in fact had led to Jesus's arrest, he threw away the money, and went and hanged himself as an act of repentance. This highly plausible rationale puts a totally different face on his actions. It also begs the question of the Church as to who are we to judge? John Lawrence, Cranbrook

Catholics are obliged to believe in the guilt of Judas, as he betrayed the King of Kings. Jesus says "woe to that man by whom the Son of Man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born." Although the Gospel records Judas as repentant, he is often seen as the "son of perdition" whom Jesus says he lost. Jesus offers salvation to the whole world; this is not the same as the novel modern doctrine of universal salvation which, mirrored in the attempted rehabilitation of Jesus, is a presumption on the mercy of God. Such modernism was reflected by the installation in a Catholic Church in Linz, Austria last year of a piece of modern art called "Requiem for a friend, Judas Iscariot" in the form of a shrine, complete with mock reliquary. Ironically, the piece of metal representing Judas was on sale by December for a mere €500. There is nothing new under the sun. The Gnostic sect of the Cainites venerated Judas as an instrument of divine wisdom. They also venerated many of the most reprobate figures in the Old Testament. Christopher Gillibrand, Brussels

This, to me, gives the impression that everything we do is already planned and that free will does not exist. That lets Saddam Hussein, Hitler, every other despot and murderer and all others who commit crimes large and small, off the hook. David Leslie, Crieff

In God's eyes, the major sin of Judas will have been that of despair - he was repentant, but felt himself unworthy of God's forgiveness and hanged himself from a tree. Suicide is a terrible sin which denies any possibility of reconciliation. Alan Burns, Stokesley

Jesus said,"Forgive them, they know not what they do." Seems to cover everyone, including Judas Iscariot - and me. Philip Thomas, St Helens

If it was truly ordained that the Son of God would be crucified, then surely Judas Iscariot was the ordained instrument. Thomas Evans, Pembroke Dock

My father, Duncan Macrae, played the title role in Judas Iscariot at the Citizens' theatre, Glasgow, in the early Fifties. The curtain came down on him and his gallows. I wept for days. It seemed unfair then, still does. He was set up, his destiny determined. Throwing the 30 pieces of silver away did no good; amends could never be made. Christine Macrae, Glasgow

Interestingly, we are all responsible for the crucifixion. The Old Testament (eg, Isaiah), the Gospels and Letters tell us that Jesus died for the sins of the world (everyone). Yes, Judas betrayed Jesus as did Peter when he denied that he knew him and each one of us does when we too betray Jesus. Peter, however, returned to Jesus whilst Judas turned away. The fact that God has a view of eternity that enables him to know how we will behave in no way absolves us of our responsibility for our own actions. Patrick Heaps, Hyde, Cheshire