119、教会被称为母，这从以下经文明显看出来:
耶和华说:你们要与你们的母亲大大争辩，她不是我的妻子，我也不是她的丈夫。（何西阿书2:2，5）
你正是你母亲的女儿，就是厌弃丈夫的母亲。（以西结书16:45）
我休你们的母亲，休书在哪里呢？（以赛亚书50:1）
你的母亲如栽于水旁的葡萄树，多结果子。（以西结书19:10）
上述经文中的“母亲”是指犹太教会。
耶稣伸出手指着门徒说:听了神之道而遵行的人，就是我的母亲，我的弟兄了。（路加福音8:21;马太福音12:48-50;马可福音3:33-35）
主的门徒表示教会。
站在耶稣十字架旁边的，有祂的母亲。耶稣见母亲和祂所爱的那门徒站在旁边，就对祂母亲说，妇人，看，你的儿子！又对那门徒说，看，你的母亲！从那时起，那门徒就当自己的母亲接走了。（约翰福音19:25-27）
这段经文表示，主并不认马利亚为祂的母亲，而是认教会为祂的母亲。因此，主叫她“妇人”，称她是门徒的母亲。马利亚之所以被称为这门徒，也就是约翰的母亲，是因为约翰代表仁之善行方面的教会；这些才是其实际行为上的教会。这也是为何经上说那门徒就当自己的母亲接走了的原因。从《揭秘启示录》（5，6，790，798，879节）一书可以看出，彼得代表真理和信仰，雅各代表仁爱，约翰代表仁爱的行为；十二使徒一起代表教会的各个方面（233，790，903，915节）。
119、教会被称为母参见以下段落：
《何西啊书》2:2《以西结书》16:45，《以赛亚书》50；1《以西结书》19:10
在这些段落中的“母”是指尤太教会。
《路加福音》8:21，《马太福音》12:48—50 《马可福音》3；33—35 《约翰福音》19:25—27
在这里主没有称玛丽亚是他的母亲，却称教会是他的母亲。他称其为“妇人”是使徒的母亲。是使徒约翰的母亲，因为约翰象征着教会的仁爱行为，善的行为才是教会实际体现，所以说使徒带玛丽亚到他家。
（我们在TheApocalypse Revealed中讲到彼得代表着真理及信仰，雅各代表着慈爱，约翰代表着仁爱行为，十二使徒 一起代表着教会的一切本质因素）。
119. It is evident from the following passages that the church is called mother.
Jehovah said, Strive with your mother; she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Hosea 2:2, 5.
You are your mother's daughter, a mother who loathes her husband. Ezekiel 16:45.
Where is the divorce document of your mother, whom you 1have sent away? Isaiah 50:1.
Your mother is like a vine planted close to water and fruitful. Ezekiel 19:10.
These refer to the Jewish church.
Jesus stretching out his hand to the disciples said, My mother and my brothers are those who listen to God's word and do it. Luke 8:21; Matthew 12:48-49; Mark 3:33-35.
The Lord's disciples mean the church.
His mother was standing by Jesus' cross; and Jesus, seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing by, says to his mother, Lady, here is your son; and he says to the disciple, Here is your mother. So from that hour the disciple took her as his own mother. John 19:25-27.
This passage means that the Lord did not recognise Mary as His mother, but the church; so He called her 'Lady' and the disciple's mother. The reason why she was called the mother of this disciple, that is, of John, is that he represented the church as regards the good deeds of charity; these are the church in its real action. That too is the reason why he took her as his own mother. It can be seen in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED (5-6, 790, 798, 879) that Peter represented truth and faith, James charity and John the works of charity; and the twelve disciples together represented the church in all respects (THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED 233, 790, 903, 915).
2True Christian Religion 306, this verse is quoted as 'whom I have sent away.'
119. That the church is called mother is apparent from the following passages:
(Jehovah said,) "Contend with your mother...; ...she is not My wife, and I am not her Husband." (Hosea 2:2)
"You are the daughter of your mother, who loathes her Husband...." (Ezekiel 16:45)
"Where is the certificate of your mother's divorce, whom I have put away?" (Isaiah 50:1)
Your mother was like a vine..., planted by the waters, fruitful.... (Ezekiel 19:10)
"Mother" in those places refers to the Jewish Church.
(Jesus, stretching out His hand toward His disciples, said,) "My mother and My brothers are they who hear the word of God and do it." (Luke 8:21, cf. Matthew 12:48-50, Mark 3:33-35)
The church is meant by the Lord's disciples.
By the cross of Jesus stood His mother.... (And) Jesus...seeing His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by, (also) said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" And He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" (Therefore) from that hour the disciple took her into his own [home]. (John 19:25-27)
The meaning here is that the Lord did not acknowledge Mary but the church as His mother. That is why He calls her "woman" and names her the mother of the disciple. He named her the mother of this disciple, John, because John represented the church in respect to its good acts of charity. These good acts are the church in actual practice. Therefore it is said that the disciple took Mary into his own [home].
(We explained in The Apocalypse Revealed that Peter represented truth and faith, James charity, and John works of charity - see nos. 5, 6, 790, 798, 879 - and that the twelve disciples together represented the church in all its elements - see nos. 233, 790 [798?], 903, 915.)
119. These passages show that the Word calls the church a mother:
Jehovah said, Plead with your mother; she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. (Hosea 2:2, 5)
You are your mother's daughter, who loathes her husband.
Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have divorced? (Isaiah 50:1)
Your mother is like a vine, planted by the waters, bearing fruit.
These things were said about the Jewish church.
Jesus stretched forth his hand towards His disciples and said, My mother and my brothers are those who hear the Word of God and do it. (Luke 8:21; Matthew 12:48-49; Mark 3:33-35)
"The Lord's disciples" means the church.
There stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother. And Jesus seeing the mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, said unto His mother, Woman, behold your son; and He said to the disciple, Behold your mother. Therefore from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. (John 19:25-27)
This means that the Lord acknowledged the church, not Mary, as His mother. This is why He calls her "woman" and mother of the disciple. He called her this disciple's (John's) mother because John represented the church in respect of the varieties of good that have to do with charity. These are precisely the church in action. For that reason it says that he took her into his own home.
(Apocalypse Revealed shows that Peter represented truth and faith, James charity, and John the activities of charity [nos. 5, 6, 790, 798,
879], and that the twelve disciples together represented the church in respect to everything it includes [nos. 233, 790,903,915].)
119. That the Church is called Mother is evident from the following passages:
Jehovah said, plead with YOUR MOTHER; she is not my WIFE, and I am not her HUSBAND. Hosea 2:2,5.
Thou art thy mother's daughter, that loatheth her HUSBAND. Ezekiel 16:45.
Where is the bill of your MOTHER's divorcement, whom I have put away. Isaiah 50:1.
The above passages are said of the Jewish church.
Thy MOTHER is like a vine, planted by the waters, bearing fruit. Ezekiel 19:10.
Jesus stretched forth His hand towards His disciples and said, MY MOTHER and My brethren are they which hear the Word of God and do it. Luke 8:21; Matthew 12:48-49; Mark 3:33-35.
By the disciples of the Lord is meant the Church.
There stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother; and Jesus, seeing His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, said unto His mother, Woman, behold thy Son! And He said to the disciple, Behold thy mother! Wherefore from that hour the disciple took her unto his own. John 19:25-27.
By this is meant that the Lord did not acknowledge Mary as mother, but the Church; for which reason He called her woman and the mother of the disciple. He called her the mother of this disciple, that is, of John, because John represented the Church as to the goods of charity, these being the Church in very fact; therefore it is said that he took her unto his own. That Peter represented truth and faith, James charity, and John the works of charity, may be seen in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED, nos. 5-6, 790, 798[1-5],879; and that the twelve disciples together represented the Church as to all things thereof, in nos. 233, 790, 903, 915.
119. That the Church is called Mother is evident from these passages:
Jehovah said, Plead with your mother, she is not my wife, and I am not her husband (Hosea 2:2);
You are your mother's daughter, who loathes her husband (Ezekiel 16:45)
Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I put away? (Isaiah 50:1);
Your mother is like a vine ... planted by the waters, fruitful (Ezekiel 19:10);
All this with reference to the Jewish Church.
Stretching forth His hand, Jesus said, My mother and my brothers ... are those who hear the Word of God and do it (Luke 8:21; Matthew 12:49-50; Mark 3:33-35)
The Church is meant by the "Lord's disciples."
His mother stood at Jesus' cross ... And Jesus, seeing His mother and the disciple standing near whom He loved, said to His mother, Woman, behold, your son; and He said to the disciple, Behold, your mother; wherefore from that hour the disciple took her in his own home (John 19:25-27).
These words indicate that the Lord did not recognize Mary but the Church as His mother; hence He calls her "woman" and mother of the disciple. He called her the mother of this particular disciple, John, for the reason that John represented the Church as to the goods of charity - these are the Church in its whole effect. Therefore it is said that John took her to his home. See in (Apocalypse Revealed 5-6, 790, 798, 879) that Peter represented truth and faith, James charity, and John the works of charity; and (Apocalypse Revealed 233, 790, 903, 915) that the twelve disciples together represented the Church as to all its elements.
119. That the Church is called Mother appears from the following passages:
Jehovah said, Plead with your mother; she is not my wife, and I am not her husband (Hosea 2:2, 5).
Thou art thy mother's daughter, that loatheth her husband (Ezekiel 16:45).
Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I 1have put away? (Isaiah 50:1).
Thy mother is like a vine, planted by the waters, bearing fruit (Ezekiel 19:10).
These things were said of the Jewish Church.
Jesus stretched forth His hand towards His disciples and said, My mother and my brethren are they that hear the Word of God and do it (Luke 8:21; Matthew 12:48-49; Mark 3:33-35).
By the disciples of the Lord is meant the church.
There stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and Jesus seeing the mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, said unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son; and He said to the disciple, Behold thy mother. Wherefore from that hour the disciple took her unto his own (John 19:25-27).
By this is meant that the Lord did not acknowledge Mary as mother, but the Church; for which reason He called her 'woman,' and mother of the disciple. He called her the mother of this disciple, or of John, because he represented the Church as to the goods of charity. These are the church in very effect. It is therefore, said that he took her unto his own. It may be seen in the Apocalypse Revealed 5, 6, 790, 798, 879, that Peter represented truth and faith; James, charity; and John, the works of charity. And that the twelve disciples together represented the church as to all things of it, n. Apocalypse Revealed 233, 790, 903, 915.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin text has: 'Ye have put away.'
119. Quod Ecclesia dicatur Mater, constat ex his locis;
"Jehovah dixit, contendite cum Matre vestra, non illa Uxor mea, et Ego non Maritus ejus," Hosch. 2:2, 5.
Filia Matris tuae, tu, fastidientis Maritum suum, Ezech. 16:45.
Ubi est libellus repudii Matris vestrae, quam dimiserim, 1Esai. 50:1.
Mater tua sicut vitis juxta aquas plantata, frugifera, Ezech. 19:10; haec de Ecclesia Judaica.
Jesus extendens manum suam ad Discipulos, dixit, Mater mea et Fratres mei sunt qui audiunt Verbum Dei, et faciunt illud, Luc. 8:21. Matth. 12:48-49. 2Marc. 3:33, 34, 35;
per discipulos Domini intelligitur Ecclesia.
Stabat apud crucem Jesu, Mater Ipsius, et Jesus videns Matrem et Discipulum adstantem quem amabat, et dicit Matri suae, Mulier ecce filius tuus, et dicit Discipulo, ecce Mater tua; quare ab illa hora accepit illam Discipulus in propria, Joh. 19:25-26, 27;
per haec intelligitur, quod Dominus non agnoverit Mariam pro Matre, sed Ecclesiam, quare illam vocat Mulierem, et Matrem discipuli; quod hujus discipuli seu Johannis Matrem, erat quia ille repraesentabat Ecclesiam quoad Bona charitatis; haec sunt Ecclesia in ipso effectu; ideo dicitur quod ille acceperit illam in propria. Quod Petrus repraesentaverit Veritatem et Fidem, Jacobus Charitatem, et Johannes Opera charitatis, videatur in Apocalypsis Revelata 5, 6, 790, 798, 879; et quod duodecim Discipuli una repraesentaverint Ecclesiam quoad omnia ejus, Apocalypsis Revelata 233, 790, , 903, 915.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: dimisistis.
2. Prima editio: Matth. 12:48-49.