253、教会凭属天堂的天使自我而被称为一个“女人或妇人”，以及“妻子”、“新妇”、“童女或处女”、“女儿”。在启示录，她被称为一个“妇人”：
有一个妇人，身披日头，脚踏月亮，头戴十二星的冠冕。龙就逼迫那生男孩子的妇人。（启示录12:1，4-5，13）
此处“妇人”表示教会；“日头”表示爱；“月亮”表示信；“众星”表示信之真理，和前面一样；这一切都是恶灵所仇恨，并竭尽全力所迫害的。在以赛亚书，教会被称为“妇人”和“妻子”：
造你的是你的丈夫，万军之耶和华是祂的名；救赎你的，是以色列的圣者，祂必称为全地之神。因为耶和华召了你，如召被离弃的灵里忧伤的妇人，如年轻时所娶的妻子。（以赛亚书54:5–6）
此处“造你的”和“丈夫”在原文都是复数名词，因为所论述的主题也是自我，以及教会。“被离弃的妇人”和“年轻时所娶的妻子”尤表古教会和上古教会。在玛拉基书同样如此：
耶和华在你和你年轻时所娶的妻之间作见证。（玛拉基书2:14）
在启示录，教会被称为“妻”和“新妇”：
我又看见圣城新耶路撒冷由神那里从天而降，预备好了，就如新妇妆饰整齐，等候丈夫；你来，我要将新妇，就是羔羊的妻，指示你。（启示录21:2，9）
至于教会被称为“童女或处女”和“女儿”，这在先知书中十分常见。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]253. Because of the heavenly, angelic sense of self, the Word calls the church a woman, a wife, and a bride, young woman, and daughter.{*1} It is called a woman in the Book of Revelation:
... a woman enveloped in the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and the dragon persecuted the woman who had given birth to the male. (Revelation 12:1, 4-5, 13)
Here the woman means the church, the sun means love, the moon means faith, and the stars mean religious truth, as stated before [30, 32]. These things the evil spirits hate and persecute with all possible energy. The church is called both a woman and a wife in Isaiah:
... because your husband, your maker — Jehovah Sabaoth is his name; and your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, is called God of the whole earth. For Jehovah has called you as a woman abandoned and afflicted in spirit and as the wife of his youthful days. (Isaiah 54:5-6)
Here plural forms are used [in the original] for the husband/maker, because human selfhood is involved too.{*2} A woman abandoned and the wife of his youthful days stand specifically for the ancient church and the earliest church. Likewise in Malachi:
Jehovah has stood as witness between you and the wife of your youthful days. (Malachi 2:14)
The church is called a wife and bride in the Book of Revelation:
I saw the holy city Jerusalem coming down from God out of the sky, prepared as a bride dressed up for her husband. "Come, I'll show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." (Revelation 21:2, 9)
As for identifying the church as a young woman and a daughter, the prophets do this often.{*3}
Footnotes:
{*1} On the biblical themes of wife and bride, see note 1 in 155; on the church as young woman and daughter, see note 3 in 253. [RS]
{*2} The Hebrew words in the quotation for "your husband" (בֹּעֲלַיִךְ [bō‘ălayiḵ]) and "your maker" (עֹשַׂיִךְ [‘ōśayiḵ]) are plural in form but singular in meaning. Gesenius 1949, under בָּעַל, associates the plural here with majesty. [LHC]
{*3} For references of this type to a young woman and daughter, see, for example, Isaiah 7:14; 23:12; 37:22; 47:1; Jeremiah 14:17; 31:4; Lamentations 1:15; 2:13; or the passages conveniently quoted in 2362, including Micah 4:8; Zephaniah 3:14; Zechariah 9:9; Revelation 14:4-5. [LHC, RS]
Potts(1905-1910) 253
253. It is by virtue of a heavenly and angelic Own that the church is called a "woman" and also a "wife" a "bride" a "virgin" and a "daughter." She is called a "woman" in the Revelation:
A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And the dragon persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child (Rev. 12:1, 4-5, 13).In this passage by a "woman" is meant the church; by the "sun" love; by the "moon" faith; by "stars" as before, the truths of faith, all of which evil spirits hate, and persecute to the utmost. The church is called a "woman" and also a "wife" in Isaiah:
Thy Maker is thy Husband, Jehovah of Armies is His name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth is He called; for as a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit hath Jehovah called thee, and as a wife of youth [adolescentiarum] (Isa. 54:5-6), where the "Maker" is called also the "husband" because united to the Own; and a "woman afflicted" and a "wife of youth" signify specifically the Ancient and Most Ancient Churches. Likewise in Malachi:
Jehovah hath borne witness between thee and the wife of thy youth [adolescentiarum] (Mal. 2:14). She is called a "wife" and a "bride" in the Revelation:
I saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband: come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife (Rev. 21:2, 9). The church is called a "virgin" and a "daughter" throughout the Prophets.
Elliott(1983-1999) 253
253. It is by virtue of the heavenly and angelic proprium that in the Word the Church is called woman (mulier) as well as wife, and also bride, virgin, and daughter. That it is called 'a woman' may be seen in Revelation,
A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And the dragon pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. Rev 12:1, 4, 5, 13.Here 'the woman' is used to mean the Church, 'the sun' to mean love, 'the moon' faith, 'the stars' truths of faith, as previously, which things evil spirits hate and persecute with all their might. That the Church is called 'a woman' as well as 'a wife' may be seen in Isaiah, For your Maker is your Husband,a Jehovah Zebaoth is His name, and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth He is called. For Jehovah has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit and a wife of youth. Isa 54:5, 6. Here 'Maker' and 'Husband' are plural nouns because the proprium is the subject as well as [the Church]. 'A woman forsaken' and 'a wife of youth' stand in particular for the Ancient Church and the Most Ancient. Similarly in Malachi,
Jehovah was a witness between you and the wife of your youth. Mal 2:14.
That the Church is called 'wife' and 'bride' may be seen in Revelation, I saw the holy city, [the new] Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb Rev 21:2, 9.
And calling the Church a virgin and a daughter is a common occurrence in the Prophets.
Latin(1748-1756) 253
253. Ex proprio caelesti et angelico Ecclesia in Verbo vocatur mulier, ut et uxor, tum sponsa, virgo, filia: quod dicatur mulier, in Apocalypsi, Mulier circumdata solem, et lana sub pedibus ejus, et super capite ejus corona stellarum duodecim;...et quod draco persecutus mulierem quae pepererat masculum, xii 1, 4, 5, 13;ubi per 'mulierem' intelligitur Ecclesia; per 'solem' amor; per 'lunam' fides; per 'stellas' veritates fidei, ut prius; quae mali spiritus odio habent et omni opera persequuntur. Quod mulier, ut et uxor, apud Esaiam, Quia Maritus{1} tuus Factor tuus, Jehovah Zebaoth nomen Ipsius, et Redemptor tuus, Sanctus Israelis, Deus totius terrae vocatur: nam quasi mulierem relictam et afflictam spiritu vocavit te Jehovah, et uxorem adolescentiarum, liv 5, 6;
ubi Maritus Factor in plurali quodam, quia proprium simul; 'mulier relicta' et 'uxor adolescentiarum' in specie pro Antiqua et Antiquissima Ecclesia: similiter apud {x}Malachiam, Jehovah testificatus inter te, et [inter] uxorem adolescentiarum tuarum, ii 14. Quod uxor et sponsa, in Apocalypsi, Vidi urbem sanctam Hierosolymam [novam] descendentem a Deo, e caelo, paratam sicut sponsam ornatam marito suo:...Veni, ostendam tibi sponsam Agni uxorem, xxi 2, 9. Quod virgo et filia, commune est apud Prophetas. @ 1 Lit. Mariti tui Factores tui.$