The reception of Matthew 27 : 19b (Pilate's wife's dream) in the early Church

Abstract

The mysterious dream of Pilate’s wife and its recounting to her husband (Matthew 27:19b) occupies a significant place in discussions on Pilate’s guilt. The present article aims to investigate the reception of this text by the early church. Special attention is paid to the early commentators’ views on the possible link between the dream of Pilate’s wife and Pilate’s guilt, as this is an ambiguity in the Matthean text. Another uncertainty in the Matthean text concerns the story’s chronology. The early commentators’ views on this matter are also examined. Lastly, the varied ways of applying this text in new contexts are investigated.