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Chapter 238HildE.1.238

R238: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Priester N. von Königslutter

A Vision of the Wounded Traveler

Hildegard hears in a true vision the Son of God speak through the image of the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, showing how Adam chose sin through the serpent’s whisper and his own disordered desire.

Hildegard's response. In a true vision, with watchful eyes, in my spirit I heard these words. O son, you who are the image of God.✦ Hear this proposition, which the Son of God spoke to those who said among themselves that they had chosen it for themselves. A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho.✦ This same thing the Son of God said about the first man. When he, through the whisper of the serpent which he heard through the woman, perceived that he could sin—✦ in his own choice he chose this, which he had heard through that whisper.✦

The Mind, the Will, and the Fall

The mind is compared to a man and choice to a woman, showing how Adam’s embrace of his own will cast him down from the vision of peace, yet even in exile he still knew his Creator.

The mind, then, is like a man. And choice is like a woman. But when a person has chosen some course for themself, and has drawn it to themself through choice, they love it deeply — just as Adam loved the choice he heard about through the woman. For the woman was joined to him in just the way choice is joined to the mind. When Adam had done this, he descended from the vision of peace and became like the moon that fails! But even though he was an exile, still he knew his Creator.

Robbed by His Own Will

Adam is described as the traveler who fell among robbers—his own disordered will—which stripped him of the glory of paradise, yet the one who flees this self-will will be blessed.

And in that knowledge, he was like the moon, which sometimes waxes — so it was with him. And he fell among robbers — which was the very nature of his own will.✦ It was that which deceived him! Just as a robber deceives people through whispers of deceit until he seizes them, and they stripped him as well.✦ That is, this same tendency stripped him of all the glory he had in paradise — just as robbers, stripping people of their possessions, divide up their substance among themselves. Therefore, that man will be blessed —

Seeking the Heavenly Physician

Because self-will wounds humanity deeply, the fallen person must seek Christ the physician with deep sighing, remembering Adam’s exile and his miserable life in the knowledge of good and evil.

Let him flee from what his own will has chosen for itself. Because it is so harmful to him. Just as it was for Adam that he obeyed his wife.✦ It inflicts the greatest wounds on him as well. And if he wants to be healed. He must seek out the physician himself, with deep sighing. Because the transgression of Adam also sent him into the pilgrimage of this exile.✦ So much so that in the knowledge of good and evil he scarcely lived.✦

The Samaritan Who Raised Adam

Neither Abel’s sacrifice nor Moses’ law could raise the wounded traveler, but the true Samaritan, the Son of God, conceived without Eve’s blindness, raised Adam from the pit and poured oil and wine into his wounds.

Whom neither Abel's sacrifice, which Noah completed through building the altar, nor the ministry of obedience, which Moses fulfilled through the law, were able to raise up.1 But the Samaritan raised him up. This Samaritan is the Son of God, who was entirely conceived in the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit — that is, in the wholeness of the virgin's womb — and was incarnate without any of the blindness of Eve that human nature bears.2 And this one raised Adam, with all his members, out of the pit of the underworld. Into his wounds he also poured oil and wine. The oil signifies when, in his incarnation, mercy was moved over him and showed itself to him.3

Oil, Wine, and the Command to Repent

The oil signifies mercy shown in Christ’s incarnation, while the wine signifies his command to repent; he placed humanity on his own beast of burden, leading it into the stable of his body, which carried us on the cross.

But the wine — when he enjoined penance on sinners, as it is written. Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is near. And setting him on his own animal— he led him into the stable. His body is like a beast of burden. Because he carried humanity on his own shoulders onto the wood of the cross. This he also shows.

The Stable of Creation and Incarnation

God created humanity together with the beasts of burden, foreseeing the incarnation; he gave the world as a stable and led humanity into it, freeing and healing it through his passion.

because when he made the human being, he created the beasts of burden along with him. just as he also saw his own incarnation when he formed the human being. and when he joined that same incarnation to himself, just as he willed. the human being, when along with all creation he looked upon God himself and upon the human being, knew him. And he gave the whole world to the human being as a tabernacle, like a stable. And he led him into that stable. when he freed him through his own passion and healed him in mercy and penitence. And on the next day he brought out two denarii.

Two Denarii for the Stewards of the Stable

On the second day the Samaritan brought out two denarii and gave them to the stableman, leaving humanity in the care of the apostles and their followers, charging them to continue his works and giving them the two testaments.

And he gave it to the stableman. On the second day after his resurrection he left humanity in the care of his vicars — namely, the apostles and the others who had followed their example.4 charging them to do just as he himself had done. just as he himself had done. And he gave them two testaments. namely, that he had made a new law. and that he himself had also worked it into being. because just as God, when he made man, created the beasts of burden along with him,

Sacrifice, Faith, and Hidden Works

Under the old law people knew God through animal sacrifices, but now they offer Christ invisibly in the Holy Spirit; we know his incarnation through faith, while his divinity remains beyond sight, just as souls are unseen though they give life.

So it was that under the old law, people first encountered God in creatures. That is, they sacrificed to God with birds and cattle, but afterwards they themselves offered up the victim of Christ's incarnation invisibly, in the Holy Spirit. Because it is through us that we come to know his incarnation. His divinity, however, we cannot gaze upon. But we embrace it through faith. Just as we also know this visible world. Eternal life, however, we behold through faith. For we see our bodies with our eyes.

The Deputy of God and the Last Day

God left humanity as his deputy to the apostles, to be treated with mercy and cleansing through penitence, until Christ returns and gives the eternal inheritance to those who act in good will.

But we don't see souls at all! We know only this one thing: that without the soul we are not alive. So too are all works. Some, that is, are hidden and some are plain. And so we will also possess the Creator of all things in his humanity and his divinity. In this way, in the two testaments. God left a human being as his deputy to his representatives. so that they would deal with him just as he himself had shown them.

A Warning to the Steward of God

The steward of God is urged to anoint sinners with mercy and penance until the last day, but warned not to let his mind become dark by choosing according to his own will.

Namely, his wounds, by anointing with mercy and by cleansing through penitence. And this, right up to the last day. Then too, when he has returned. He will give the eternal dwelling of the inheritance to all. Who did this in good will! Which he had shown to them. Now, O you, steward of God, do this! And beware, lest your mind be dark without the sun.

Do Not Walk in Your Own Will

The priest is told not to follow the bent of his own will, which darkens the mind like a cloud, but to look to the true Samaritan and fulfill his appointed ministry in mercy, for it is pleasing to God.

the moon and the stars. that is, don't choose this or that according to the bent of your own will, and then do whatever happens to please you.5 declaring this and that to be good. because your mind is then a dark cloud. but look to that true Samaritan. and as he himself did. so you too must act in the ministry to which you were appointed by your master. since it is pleasing to God that mercy be shown to those in need.6

Mercy, Almsgiving, and Eternal Life

To lead sinners to repentance, the priest is told to follow the Samaritan’s example, help those in need, and give alms for his own sins, so that he may live forever.

And so that sinners may be led to repentance!✦ You also do this, as much as you are able. Help him by giving that same alms for your own sins.✦ so that you may live forever.✦

Read the original Latin

Responsum hildegardis. In uera uisione uigilantibus oculis in spiritu meo hęc uerba audiui. O fili qui forma dei es. hanc propositionem audi quam filius dei ad illos dixit qui apud se hoc dixerunt quod sibimetipsis elegerant. Homo quidam descendebat ab ierusalem in iericho. Hoc idem filius dei de primo homine dixit. Qui cum per rumorem serpentis quem per mulierem audiuit sensit quod peccare potuit. in optione sibi hoc elegit quod per rumorem audierat.

Mens enim quasi uir est. et optio quasi femina. sed quando homo aliquam causam sibi elegerit. et eam per optionem sibi attraxerit ipsam ualde amat sicut et adam optionem amauit quam per mulierem audiuit. quia mulier ei sic adiuncta fuit uelut menti electio. Quando adam hoc fecerat de uisione pacis descendit et similis lunę quę deficit factus est! sed quamuis peregrinus esset. tamen creatorem suum sciuit.

et in illa cognitione. lunę quę interdum crescit similis fuit. Et incidit in latrones quod proprietas uoluntatis eius fuit. quę ipsum decepit! quemadmodum latro per sibilos dolositatis homines decipit donec eos capit. Qui etiam despoliauerunt eum. scilicet eadem proprietas ab omni gloria quam in paradyso habuit uelut latrones homines despoliantes substantiam eorum distribuunt. ideo unusquisque homo qui felix erit.

fugiat quod propria uoluntas sua sibi elegerit. quia ipsi ita nociua est. quemadmodum adę fuit quod mulierem suam audiuit. Maxima quoque uulnera ei facit. et si sanari uult. ipsum cum magno suspirio medicum querere oportet. quia etiam transgressio adam in peregrinationem huius exilij misit. ita quod in scientia boni et mali uix uiuebat.

Quem nec sacrificium abel quod noe per edificationem altaris perfecit. nec ministerium obedientię abrahę quod moyses per legem complebat leuare potuerunt. sed samaritanus eum leuauit. Samaritanus iste filius dei est. qui totus in sacrario spiritus sancti id est in integritate uteri uirginis incarnatus est sine omni cecitate adę quam humana natura habet. et iste adam cum membris suis de puteo inferni leuauit. In uulnera quoque illius oleum et uinum infudit. oleum uidelicet quando in incarnatione sua motus super illum misericordia se illi ostendebat!

uinum autem quando penitentiam peccatorum illi iniunxit ut scriptum est. Penitentiam agite! appropinquabit enim regnum celorum. Et imponens illum in iumentum suum! duxit in stabulum. Corpus ipsius quasi iumentum est. quia hominem in humeris suis in lignum crucis portauit. quod etiam ostendit.

quia quando hominem fecit iumenta cum illo creauit. sicut etiam incarnationem suam uidit cum hominem formauit. et cum eandem incarnationem sibi adiunxit sicut uoluit. homo cum omni creatura ipsum deum et hominem aspiciendo cognouit. totumque mundum homini pro tabernaculo uelut stabulum dedit. et in illud stabulum ipsum duxit. quando eum per passionem suam liberauit atque in misericordia et penitentia curauit. Et altera die protulit duos denarios.

et dedit stabulario. In altera luce post resurrectionem suam uicarijs suis scilicet apostolis et ceteris qui exempla eorum secuti erant hominem reliquit. illis iniungens ut et ipsi facerent. quemadmodum ipse fecerat. et ipsis duo testamenta dedit. uidelicet quod noua lex fecerat. et quod ipse etiam operatus erat. quia sicut deus cum hominem fecit iumenta cum illo creauit.

ita homines in ueteri lege primum in creaturis. uidelicet in uolucribus atque pecoribus deo sacrificauerunt sed postea uictimam incarnationis christi in spiritu sancto inuisibiliter ipsi immolauerunt. quoniam incarnationem eius per nos cognoscimus. diuinitatem uero intueri non possumus. sed eam per fidem amplectimur. uelut etiam hunc mundum scimus. eternam autem uitam in fide aspicimus. Corpora enim nostra uidemus.

sed animas nullo modo intuemur! nisi quod solummodo scimus quia sine anima non uiuimus. Sic etiam omnia opera sunt. quędam scilicet obscura quedam manifesta. et ita quoque creatorem omnium in humanitate et diuinitate ipsius habebimus. Tali modo in duobus testamentis. deus uicarijs suis hominem reliquit. ut ita cum eo agerent quemadmodum ipsis ostenderat.

uidelicet uulnera eius in misericordia ungendo et in penitentia mundando. et hoc usque ad nouissimum diem. Tunc quoque cum redierit. mansionem eternę hereditatis omnibus dabit. qui in bona uoluntate hoc fecerunt! quod eis demonstrauerat. Nunc o tu uillice dei sic fac! et caue ne mens tua tenebrosa sit sine sole.

luna et stellis. ita scilicet ne secundum proprietatem uoluntatis tuę hoc et illud ut tibi placuerit eligas. hoc et illud bonum esse dicens. quia mens tua tunc tenebrosa nubes est. sed in illum uerum samaritanum aspice. et sicut ipse fecit. ita et tu fac in ministerio ad quod a magistro tuo constitutus es. quoniam deo placet ut misericordia egentibus impendatur.

et ut peccantes ad penitentiam ducantur! hoc et tu fac quantum poteris. ipsum adiuuans qui eandem elemosinam pro peccatis suis dat. ut in eternum uiuas.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Gen.1.26-Gen.1.27 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen.1.27 — So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
  2. ↩Luke.10.30 — Jesus replied, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and went away, leaving him half dead."
  3. ↩Gen.3.1-Gen.3.6 — Now the serpent was more crafty than any other animal that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" Gen.3.2 — And the woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, Gen.3.3 — but of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You shall not eat from it, and you shall not touch it, lest you die.' Gen.3.4 — But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not certainly die.' Gen.3.5 — for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Gen.3.6 — And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise. She took of its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
  4. ↩Gen.3.6 — And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise. She took of its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
  5. ↩Luke.10.30 — Jesus replied, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and went away, leaving him half dead."
  6. ↩Luke.10.30 — Jesus replied, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and went away, leaving him half dead."
  7. ↩Gen.3.6 — And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise. She took of its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
  8. ↩Gen.3.23-Gen.3.24 — So the LORD God sent him out from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. Gen.3.24 — So he drove out the man, and he settled east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim, and the flaming sword that turns every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
  9. ↩Gen.2.17 — but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day you eat from it you shall surely die.
  10. ↩Luke.10.25-Luke.10.37 — And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, testing him, saying, 'Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' Luke.10.26 — But he said to him, 'What is written in the law? How do you read it?' Luke.10.27 — And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." Luke.10.28 — And he said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live." Luke.10.29 — But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' Luke.10.30 — Jesus replied, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and went away, leaving him half dead." Luke.10.31 — Now by coincidence a certain priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Luke.10.32 — In the same way also a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke.10.33 — But a certain Samaritan, traveling that way, came upon him, and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. Luke.10.34 — and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Luke.10.35 — And on the next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Luke.10.36 — Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the one who fell among the robbers? Luke.10.37 — He said, 'The one who showed him mercy.' And Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.'
  11. ↩Luke.10.30-Luke.10.37 — Jesus replied, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and went away, leaving him half dead." Luke.10.31 — Now by coincidence a certain priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Luke.10.32 — In the same way also a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke.10.33 — But a certain Samaritan, traveling that way, came upon him, and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. Luke.10.34 — and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Luke.10.35 — And on the next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Luke.10.36 — Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the one who fell among the robbers? Luke.10.37 — He said, 'The one who showed him mercy.' And Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.'
  12. ↩John.3.16;John.11.25-John.11.26 — For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. John.11.25 — Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live." John.11.26 — and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The subject of 'leuare potuerunt' is ambiguous: grammatically 'sacrificium' and 'ministerium' are singular, yet the verb is plural. The sense appears to be that neither Abel's sacrifice nor Abraham's obedience (mediated through Moses' law) could raise 'quem' (the fallen humanity/Adam). The plural verb may reflect a compound subject understood broadly.
  2. 2 ↩'adę' is rendered as 'of Eve' (genitive of Ada/Eve), referring to the spiritual blindness inherited from Eve's transgression. The phrase 'sine omni cecitate adę' means Christ took on human nature but without the blindness (spiritual ignorance/sin) that Eve's fall introduced.
  3. 3 ↩The clause 'motus super illum misericordia se illi ostendebat' is compressed: 'misericordia' (mercy) is the subject, 'se ostendebat' (showed itself) the predicate, and 'super illum' (over him) refers to the incarnate Christ. The sense is that divine mercy was stirred over the incarnate Son and revealed itself through his Passion. The antecedent of 'illum' and 'illi' is debated — it may refer to Christ as the one upon whom mercy is shown, or to the wounded humanity Christ bears.
  4. 4 ↩'vicarijs' (vicars) here refers to those entrusted with spiritual authority after Christ's departure; sense of 'uicarijs' is slightly unusual.
  5. 5 ↩ne ... ut frames a negative purpose clause; ut could also be read as result depending on the force of placuerit.
  6. 6 ↩ut after placet functions as a complementizer; purpose/result reading also possible.

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