Sleep, Dreams and Revelation in Medieval Commentaries on Job

Abstract

Just a quick glance at the Bible makes clear that in Jewish and Christian tradition sleep and dream are privileged means of divine revelation. The best known examples of revelation by dreams occur in the Old Testament with the patriarch Joseph and the prophet Daniel who not only had remarkable dreams themselves, but also possessed the ability to interpret the dreams of others. Further examples are the prophets Balaam and Elias, and this indicates that our topic contributes to the wider field of prophecy as a specific form of divine revelation1.

In this paper I want to highlight another biblical source, which became an important occasion for medieval theologians to discuss the meaning of revelational dreams: the book of Job. Usually the famous sufferer is not known as a prophetic figure, though he prophesied the resurrection of «his saviour» (Jb 19:25-26). Normally he figures as an example of patience and perfect virtue. Medieval commentators present him also as a wise theologian, who learned to understand God’s power and God’s plans. Nevertheless there are three passages in the book of Job where medieval commentators regularly speak about the connection of sleep, dream and revelation.