 In the 3rd century , Origen suggested in his Homilies on Matthew that the wife of Pilate had become a Christian , or at least that God sent her the dream mentioned by Matthew so that she would convert . This interpretation was shared by several theologians of Antiquity and the Middle Ages . Rival theologians contended the dream was sent by Satan in an attempt to thwart the salvation that was going to result from Christ 's death . 
