When he was set down on the judgment seat
That is, when Pilate the governor, as the Syriac and Persic
versions read, was set down upon the bench, and while he was
sitting there, and trying of Jesus:
his wife sent unto him:
her name, according to the Ethiopians, was Abrokla F14; who
might be a Jewess, as the wife of Felix was, ( Acts 24:24 ) , and a
favourer of Jesus, or, at least, a religious person; and if, only
a mere Heathen, yet had some notion of justice being to be done;
and however, pressed by her dream, sent a messenger to her
husband, as he was trying this cause:
saying, have thou nothing to do with that just
man;
meaning Jesus, whom she either knew to be so, or concluded from
her dream that he was one: and her sense is, that her husband
would have no hand in his condemnation and death, but rather do
all he could to release and save him. She might know that he had
gone some lengths already against him; that he had the night
before granted a band of soldiers to the chief priests to
apprehend him; and knew he rose early that morning, at the
request of the same, to try him; and he was now before him, and
she might be apprehensive that he was forward to condemn him to
death, and therefore sends this cautionary message; alleging this
for a reason,
for I have suffered many things this day, in a dream,
because of
him.
The Arabic and Persic versions read, "this night". Pilate might
rise that morning before she was awake, and had an opportunity of
telling her dream; or she might dream it after he was gone; in
which she was sadly distressed about Jesus, and might have some
hints given her of the miserable consequences of his death, not
only to the Jewish nation, but to her husband and family; which
gave her great uneasiness and disquietude. Some have thought,
that this dream was from the devil, willing to hinder the death
of Christ, and so man's redemption and salvation by it; but had
he had any such intention, the most effectual method would have
been to have persuaded the chief priests and elders off of it,
and in attempting it; whereas, on the contrary, they were
instigated by him to it: and whatever natural causes there might
be of this dream, as the chief priests coming over night to
desire a band of soldiers to take Jesus, and the discourse they
might have with Pilate about him; which things might run in her
mind in her sleep; yet, doubtless, this was of God, and with a
design that a testimony should be bore to the innocency of Christ
every way; as by Judas that betrayed him, by Pilate his judge,
and by his wife.
F14 Ludolph. Lex. Ethiop. p. 541.