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Bible Dictionaries
Dream
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or ‘Dream’ may be defined as a series of thoughts, images, or other mental states, which are experienced during sleep. The words that are most frequently translated ‘dream’ in the Bible are חֲלוֹם are ὄναρ. In the OT dreams are described somewhat in detail, especially those of Jacob (Genesis 28:10-22), of Joseph (Genesis 37:5-10), of Nebuchadrezzar (Daniel 2, 4), and of Daniel (Daniel 7). In the NT, the only instances given are those of the appearance of the angel to Joseph (Matthew 1:20-23; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:19-20), the dream of the Magi (Matthew 2:12), and the notable dream of Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19). In spite of the fact that certain dreams are set out with considerable fullness of detail, the instances recorded are not numerous, which seems to indicate that God’s revelations by this medium are to be regarded as exceptional and providential rather than as the usual means of communication of the Divine will. The Fathers were in the habit of warning the Christians against the tendency to consider dreams as omens in a superstitions sense.
The only references to dreams or dreaming in the apostolic writings are Acts 2:17 ‘your old men shall dream dreams’ (quoted from Joel 2:28), and Judges 1:8 ‘these also (the false teachers of v. 4) in their dreamings defile the flesh’: the reference is understood by Bigg (Second Pet. and Jude [International Critical Commentary , 1901]), following von Soden and Spitta, to be to the attempt of the false teachers to support their doctrines by revelations.
The earliest theories present the dream-world as real but remote-a region where the second self wanders in company with other second selves. The next stage is that of symbolic pictures unfolded to the inner organs of perception by some supernatural being. the general depression of vital activities during sleep may produce complete unconsciousness, especially during the early part of the night, but portions of the brain may be in activity in dreaming, with the accompanying partial consciousness. It was asserted by the Cartesians and Leibniz, and as stoutly denied by Locke, that the soul is always thinking; but many modern writers consider that dreaming takes place only during the process of waking. It is generally admitted that, whilst for the most part the material of our dreams is drawn from our waking experiences, the stimuli, external or internal, acting upon the sense organs during sleep produce the exaggerated and fantastic impressions in the mind which are woven into the fabric of our dreams. On the other hand, F. W. H. Myers (Human Personality) regards dreams, with certain other mental states, as being ‘uprushes’ from the subliminal self, and sleep with all its phenomena as the refreshing of the soul by the influences of the world of spirit. This view, if correct, would afford scope for the revelation of God’s will as narrated in the biblical accounts, if not in exceptional experiences of the present time. At any rate, there is nothing in modern psychology to preclude the possibility of Divine manifestations in dreams. Many recent writers enjoin the cultivation of restfulness and repose of the soul in order that sleep may be beneficial and may not be disturbed by unpleasant dreams. George Macdonald sings in his Evening Hymn:
‘Nor let me wander all in vain
Through dreams that mock and flee;
But even in visions of the brain
Go wandering toward Thee.’
Literature.-Article ‘Dreams’ in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) , ‘Dream’ In Dict. of Christ and the Gospels , and ‘Dreams and Sleep’ in Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics ; J. Sully, Illusions (ISS [Note: SS International Science Series.] , 1882); F. W. H. Myers, Human Personality, new ed., 1907; G. T. Ladd, Doctrine of Sacred Scripture, 1883, ii. 429-436; S Freud, Die Traumdeutung, 1900 (Eng. translation , The Interpretation of Dreams, 1913). A full bibliography will be found in Baldwin’s Dict. of Philosophy and psychology, vol. iii. Pt. ii. [1905] p. 1034.
J. G. James.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Dream'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/d/dream.html. 1906-1918.
