255、“女人的种”表示对主的信。这从“女人”的含义清楚可知，“女人”是指教会，教会的“种”不是别的，正是信。教会之所以被称为教会，正是由于对主的信，或说教会从对主的信中获得自己的存在并得其名。在玛拉基书，信被称为“神的种”：
耶和华在你和你年轻时所娶的妻之间作见证。一个还有灵的余剩之人是不会这样行的。还有一个寻求神的种之人吗？但在你们灵里面要警醒，不可对年轻时所娶的妻不忠。（玛拉基书2:14–15）
此处“年轻时所娶的妻”是指古教会和上古教会，先知说的是它们的种或信。以赛亚书：
我要将水浇灌口渴的人，将河流浇灌干旱之地。我要将我的灵浇灌你的种，将我的福浇灌你的后裔。（以赛亚书44:3）
这也涉及教会。启示录：
龙向妇人发怒，去与她其余的种争战，就是那守神诫命，为耶稣基督作见证的。（启示录12:17）
诗篇：
我与我所拣选的人立了约，向我的仆人大卫起了誓，我要建立你的种，直到永远。我要使他的种存到永远，使他的宝座如诸天的日子。他的种要存到永远，他的宝座在我面前如太阳。（诗篇89:3–4，29，36）
此处“大卫”表示主；“宝座”表示祂的国；“太阳”表示爱；“种”表示信。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]255. The meaning of the woman's seed as faith in the Lord is established by the symbolism of a woman as the church. Her seed is nothing else but faith. Its faith in the Lord is what causes the church to be a church and to be called one.
Faith is called God's seed in Malachi:
Jehovah has stood as witness between you and the wife of your youthful days. And did he not make [them] one? And is there no spirit in what remains? And why does the one seek God's seed? But keep watch in your spirit, to keep [anyone] from betraying the wife of your youthful days. (Malachi 2:14-15)
The wife of one's youthful days is the ancient church and the earliest church. Its seed, or faith, is what is being discussed. In Isaiah:
I will pour water out on thirsty land, and streams on dry ground; I will pour my spirit out on your seed and my blessing on those descended from you. (Isaiah 44:3)
This is also about the church. In Revelation:
The dragon was enraged against the woman and went off to make war with the rest of her seed — those who were keeping God's commands and who possess Jesus Christ's testimony. (Revelation 12:17)
And in David:
I struck a pact with my chosen one; I swore to David my servant, "I will establish your seed forever, and I will make his seed everlasting and his throne like the days of the heavens. His seed will exist forever, and his throne like the sun before me." (Psalms 89:3-4, 29, 36)
Here David means the Lord; the throne, his kingdom; the sun, love; and the seed, faith.
Potts(1905-1910) 255
255. That the "seed of the woman" signifies faith in the Lord, is evident from the signification of "woman" as being the church, whose "seed" is nothing but faith, for it is from faith in the Lord that the church is called the church. In Malachi, faith is called the "seed of God:" Jehovah hath witnessed between thee and the wife of thy youth [adolescentiarum]; and not one hath done so who had a residue of the spirit and wherefore one, seeking the seed of God? but observe ye in your spirit, lest he deal treacherously against the wife of thy youth (Mal 2:14, 15). In this passage the "wife of youth" is the Ancient and Most Ancient Churches, of whose "seed" (or faith) the prophet speaks. In Isaiah also, in reference to the church:
I will pour waters upon the thirsty, and floods upon the dry I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring (Isa. 44:3). In the Revelation:
The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who were keeping the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17). And in David:
I have made a covenant with Mine elect, I have sworn unto David My servant, even to eternity will I establish thy seed, and his seed will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens his seed shall endure to eternity, and his throne as the sun before me (Ps. 139:3, 4, 29, 36), where by "David" is meant the Lord; by "throne" His kingdom; by the "sun" love; and by "seed" faith.
Elliott(1983-1999) 255
255. 'The seed of the woman' is used to mean faith in the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'woman' as the Church, the seed of which is nothing else than faith. II is from faith in the Lord that the Church has its being and gets its name. In Malachi faith is called 'God's seed',
Jehovah was a witness between you and the wife of your youth. And not one has done so, though he has a residue of the spirit. And is there one seeking God's seed? But take heed within your spirit, lest he act treacherously against the wife of your youth. Mal 2:14, 15.Here 'wife of your youth' is the Ancient Church and the Most Ancient, whose seed or faith is the subject. In Isaiah, I will pour out waters upon the thirsty land, and streams on the dry. I will pour out [My] Spirit upon your seed and My blessing upon your descendants. Isa 44:3. This too refers to the Church. In Revelation, The dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her seed, who kept the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus Christ. Rev 12:17.
And in David,
I have made a covenant with My Chosen One, I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed even for ever; and I will set up his seed in perpetuity, and his throne as the days of the heavens; his seed will be for ever, and his throne will be like the sun in front of Me. Ps 89:7, 4, 29, 36.
Here David is used to mean the Lord, 'his throne' to mean His Kingdom, 'the sun' love, and 'seed' faith.
Latin(1748-1756) 255
255. Quod per 'semen mulieris' intelligatur fides in Dominum, constat ex significatione 'mulieris' quae est Ecclesia; ejus semen non aliud est quam fides; ex fide in Dominum est, et dicitur, Ecclesia. Apud Malachiam appellatur fides 'semen Dei,' Jehovah testificatus est inter te, et inter uxorem adolescentiarum tuarum,... et non unus fecit, et residuum, spiritus ei? et quid unus quaerens semen Dei? sed observate in spiritu vestro, ne contra uxorem adolescentiarum tuarum perfide agat, ii 14, 15;ubi 'uxor adolescentiarum' est Ecclesia Antiqua et Antiquissima, de cujus semine aut fide agitur: apud Esaiam, Effundam aquas super sitientem, et fluenta super aridam; effundam spiritum [Meum] super semen tuum, et benedictionem Meam super prognatos a te, xliv 3;
ubi etiam de Ecclesia: in Apocalypsi, Iratus draco contra mulierem, abivitque ut faceret bellum cum reliquis seminis illius, qui tenebant mandata Dei, et habent testimonium Jesu Christi, xii 17:
et apud Davidem, Pepigi foedus Electo Meo, juravi Davidi servo Meo; usque in aeternum stabiliam semen tuum,... et ponam in perpetuum semen Ipsius, et solium Ipsius sicut dies caelorum;... semen Ipsius in aeternum erit, et solium Ipsius sicut sol coram Me, Ps. lxxxix 4, 5, 30, 37 [A.V. 3, 4, 29, 36];
ubi per 'Davidem' intelligitur Dominus; per 'solium' Ipsius regnum; per 'solem' amor; per 'semen' fides.