A Companion to Hildegard of Bingen

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“by the fact that he has recourse to the Scriptures, brings men back to
rationality, because rationality in men fijinds the Scriptures, such that
they may know God through rationality just as through the Scriptures.”107
In Expositio 15, based on the episode of the child Jesus in the temple
(Lk. 2:42–52), Hildegard sets up a parallel narrative in which Christ represents
racionalitas, Jerusalem equals faith, Mary is wisdom, Joseph the
admonitio of the Holy Spirit, and the temple good works. Reason makes a
journey to faith, accompanied by wisdom and the admonitio of the Holy
Spirit. Reason then remains in faith and stores up a treasure in itself, for
the performance of good works, for “man is rational, he receives faith,
and has also the will to do good.”108 Here Hildegard links reason and will
(in the usual terminology, two intellectual powers) with faith. The order
in which she lists them is signifijicant. Man starts with reason as a natural
power, which is naturally acquired.109 Adding to reason, he takes up
the supernatural gift of faith, and together they produce a good will for
activity. In the end of the exposition, racionalitas rejoins wisdom and
admonitio, and embarks on a life of righteousness before God and open
performance of good works.
Expositio 23, based on the parable of the laborers in the vineyard
(Mt. 23:1–16), offfers further depth to Hildegard’s analysis. In this exposition,
the master of the vineyard represents racionalitas, the laborers
the fijive senses, the wages the hope of life, and the vineyard the faith
of the salvation of souls. Reason, in the early morning—that is, in its fijirst
sensible knowledge—leaves its home in the sensible world, wishing to
send the senses into faith, promising in payment the hope of life. Reason
then orders the senses to go into faith through good works.110 When the
good work is completed, reason calls the senses to receive their reward.
Here, following the biblical phrase dominus uineae, Hildegard speaks of
107 Ibid., 24, pp. 254–55, ll. 79–82: “quod scripturas inducit, per hoc homines ad racionalitatem
reducit, quia racionalitas in hominibus scripturas inuenit, ut ita per racionalitatem
uelut per scripturas Deum cognoscant.”
108 Ibid., 15, p. 229, ll. 25–26: “homo racionalis est et fijidem suscepit, et etiam uoluntatem
bonum operandi habet.”
109 Hildegard makes this clear at the beginning of this exposition, when she speaks of etas
intelligibilis, at which time reason becomes operative. Cf. Expo. Euang., 15, p. 228, ll. 2–3.
110 Ibid., 23, p. 249, ll. 1–5: “Simile est regnum celorum, id est omnis compago in homine,
homini patrifamilias, scilicet racionalitas quae in homine est, qui exiit primo mane, uidelicet
in scientia sensibilitatis, conducere operarios, id est quinque sensus corporis, in uineam
suam, scilicet in fijidem saluationis animarum. Conuentione autem facta cum operariis ex
denario diurno, id est quod racionalitas quinque sensibus spem uitae, quam semper habituri
sunt, promittit, misit eos in uineam suam, scilicet in fijidem saluationis animarum.”