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Re 12:1-17.
英文原文
Re 12:1-17.
VISION OF THE WOMAN, HER CHILD, AND THE PERSECUTING DRAGON.
1. This episode
(Re 12:1-15:8)
describes in detail the persecution of Israel and the elect Church by the beast, which had been summarily noticed,
Re 11:7-10,
and the triumph of the faithful, and torment of the unfaithful. So also the sixteenth through twentieth chapters are the description in detail of the judgment on the beast, &c., summarily noticed in
Re 11:13, 18.
The beast in
Re 12:3,
&c., is shown not to be alone, but to be the instrument in the hand of a greater power of darkness, Satan. That this is so, appears from the time of the eleventh chapter being the period also in which the events of the twelfth and thirteenth chapters take place, namely, 1260 days
(Re 12:6, 14; Re 13:5;
compare
Re 11:2, 3).
great--in size and significance.
wonder--Greek, "sign": significant of momentous truths.
in heaven--not merely the sky, but the heaven beyond just mentioned,
Re 11:19;
compare
Re 12:7-9.
woman clothed with the sun . . . moon under her feet--the Church, Israel first, and then the Gentile Church; clothed with Christ, "the Sun of righteousness." "Fair as the moon, clear as the sun." Clothed with the Sun, the Church is the bearer of divine supernatural light in the world. So the seven churches (that is, the Church universal, the woman) are represented as light-bearing candlesticks
(Re 1:12, 20).
On the other hand, the moon, though standing above the sea and earth, is altogether connected with them and is an earthly light: sea, earth, and moon represent the worldly element, in opposition to the kingdom of God--heaven, the sun. The moon cannot disperse the darkness and change it into-day: thus she represents the world religion (heathenism) in relation to the supernatural world. The Church has the moon, therefore, under her feet; but the stars, as heavenly lights, on her head. The devil directs his efforts against the stars, the angels of the churches, about hereafter to shine for ever. The twelve stars, the crown around her head, are the twelve tribes of Israel [AUBERLEN]. The allusions to Israel before accord with this: compare
Re 11:19,
"the temple of God"; "the ark of His testament." The ark lost at the Babylonian captivity, and never since found, is seen in the "temple of God opened in heaven," signifying that God now enters again into covenant with His ancient people. The woman cannot mean, literally, the virgin mother of Jesus, for she did not flee into the wilderness and stay there for 1260 days, while the dragon persecuted the remnant of her seed
(Re 12:13-17)
[DE BURGH]. The sun, moon, and twelve stars, are emblematical of Jacob, Leah, or else Rachel, and the twelve patriarchs, that is, the Jewish Church: secondarily, the Church universal, having under her feet, in due subordination, the ever changing moon, which shines with a borrowed light, emblem of the Jewish dispensation, which is now in a position of inferiority, though supporting the woman, and also of the changeful things of this world, and having on her head the crown of twelve stars, the twelve apostles, who, however, are related closely to Israel's twelve tribes. The Church, in passing over into the Gentile world, is (1) persecuted; (2) then seduced, as heathenism begins to react on her. This is the key to the meaning of the symbolic woman, beast, harlot, and false prophet. Woman and beast form the same contrast as the Son of man and the beasts in Daniel. As the Son of man comes from heaven, so the woman is seen in heaven
(Re 12:1).
The two beasts arise respectively out of the sea (compare
Da 7:3)
and the earth
(Re 13:1, 11):
their origin is not of heaven, but of earth earthy. Daniel beholds the heavenly Bridegroom coming visibly to reign. John sees the woman, the Bride, whose calling is heavenly, in the world, before the Lord's coming again. The characteristic of woman, in contradistinction to man, is her being subject, the surrendering of herself, her being receptive. This similarly is man's relation to God, to be subject to, and receive from, God. All autonomy of the human spirit reverses man's relation to God. Woman-like receptivity towards God constitutes faith. By it the individual becomes a child of God; the children collectively are viewed as "the woman." Humanity, in so far as it belongs to God, is the woman. Christ, the Son of the woman, is in
Re 12:5
emphatically called "the MAN-child" (Greek, "huios arrheen," "male-child"). Though born of a woman, and under the law for man's sake, He is also the Son of God, and so the HUSBAND of the Church. As Son of the woman, He is "'Son of man"; as male-child, He is Son of God, and Husband of the Church. All who imagine to have life in themselves are severed from Him, the Source of life, and, standing in their own strength, sink to the level of senseless beasts. Thus, the woman designates universally the kingdom of God; the beast, the kingdom of the world. The woman of whom Jesus was born represents the Old Testament congregation of God. The woman's travail-pains
(Re 12:2)
represent the Old Testament believers' ardent longings for the promised Redeemer. Compare the joy at His birth
(Isa 9:6).
As new Jerusalem (called also "the woman," or "wife,"
Re 21:2, 9-12),
with its twelve gates, is the exalted and transfigured Church, so the woman with the twelve stars is the Church militant.
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2. 疼痛——希腊文作"受折磨"（basanizomene）。德·伯格将此解为将长子再次带到世间，那时以色列终必欢迎他，那时"男孩子必用铁杖辖管万国"。但此处妇人的痛苦的生产与基督向犹太教会——以色列中信心的余民——第二次显现，有明显的对比："她还未疼痛就生产……男孩子"，即几乎不觉得产痛就（在他第二次降临时）接受了弥赛亚和众多的后裔，仿佛他是为她所生。
英文原文
2. pained--Greek, "tormented" (basanizomene). DE BURGH explains this of the bringing in of the first-begotten into the world AGAIN, when Israel shall at last welcome Him, and when "the man-child shall rule all nations with the rod of iron." But there is a plain contrast between the painful travailing of the woman here, and Christ's second coming to the Jewish Church, the believing remnant of Israel, "Before she travailed she brought forth . . . a MAN-CHILD," that is, almost without travail-pangs, she receives (at His second advent), as if born to her, Messiah and a numerous seed.
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3. 出现——"被看见"。
异象——希腊文作"semeion"，"记号"。
红——抄本A和武加大译本如此。但抄本B、C和科普特译本读作"火"。无论如何，龙的颜色暗示他作为"从起初就是杀人的"那烈怒。他的代表兽与之相符，有七头十角
（Da 7:7
第四兽角的数目；
Re 13:1）。
但在那里，十个冠冕在十角上（因为在末了之前，第四帝国要分为十国）；这里，七个冠冕（更当是"王冠"，希腊文"diademata"，不是"桂冠"stephanoi）在七头上。在
Da 7:4-7
中，直到基督第二次再来的敌基督权势由四兽代表，共有七头——即第一、二、四兽各一头，第三兽四头。他作为这堕落世界之君的普世统治，由七王冠暗示（与基督头上的"许多王冠"相对
Re 19:12，
那时来毁灭他及其党羽）——这是对神七灵的拙劣模仿。他属世的权能工具由十角标记——十是世界数目。他身上的自相矛盾在于，他和兽都同时带有数目七（神的数目）和十（世界的数目）。
英文原文
3. appeared--"was seen."
wonder--Greek, "semeion," "sign."
red--So A and Vulgate read. But B, C, and Coptic read, "of fire." In either case, the color of the dragon implies his fiery rage as a murderer from the beginning. His representative, the beast, corresponds, having seven heads and ten horns (the number of horns on the fourth beast of
Da 7:7; Re 13:1).
But there, ten crowns are on the ten horns (for before the end, the fourth empire is divided into ten kingdoms); here, seven crowns (rather, "diadems," Greek, "diademata," not stephanoi, "wreaths") are upon his seven heads. In
Da 7:4-7
the Antichristian powers up to Christ's second coming are represented by four beasts, which have among them seven heads, that is, the first, second, and fourth beasts having one head each, the third, four heads. His universal dominion as prince of this fallen world is implied by the seven diadems (contrast the "many diadems on Christ's head,"
Re 19:12,
when coming to destroy him and his), the caricature of the seven Spirits of God. His worldly instruments of power are marked by the ten horns, ten being the number of the world. It marks his self-contradictions that he and the beast bear both the number seven (the divine number) and ten (the world number).
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4. 尾巴——希腊文现在时"拖拽"、"拖拉下来"。他用尾巴拖拉星辰（尾巴在烈怒中前后甩动），暗示他劝诱那些从前属天的天使以及一度杰出的人类教师像他自己一样背道，成为属地（比较
Re 12:1; 1:20; Isa 14:12）。
站着——"站"［阿福德］：完成时，希腊文"hesteken"。
将要生产——"将生孩子"。
等她生产之后，要吞吃她的孩子——"好在她生产之后，吞吃她的孩子"。照样，由其代理人法老（这是所有埃及王通用的名字，按某些人解意为鳄鱼——一种象龙的爬虫，且是埃及的偶像）所代表的龙，在那民族诞生之时就要吞吃以色列的男孩。按预表的应验，真以色列人耶稣降生时，希律曾寻求毁灭他，杀了伯利恒城内及周围所有的男孩。
英文原文
4. drew--Greek, present tense, "draweth," "drags down." His dragging down the stars with his tail (lashed back and forward in his fury) implies his persuading to apostatize, like himself, and to become earthy, those angels and also once eminent human teachers who had formerly been heavenly (compare
Re 12:1; 1:20; Isa 14:12).
stood--"stands" [ALFORD]: perfect tense, Greek, "hesteken."
ready to be delivered--"about to bring forth."
for to devour, &c.--"that when she brought forth, he might devour her child." So the dragon, represented by his agent Pharaoh (a name common to all the Egyptian kings, and meaning, according to some, crocodile, a reptile like the dragon, and made an Egyptian idol), was ready to devour Israel's males at the birth of the nation. Antitypically the true Israel, Jesus, when born, was sought for destruction by Herod, who slew all the males in and around Bethlehem.
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5. 男孩子——希腊文作"一个儿子，一个男性的"。此词深层含义见
Re 12:1, 2
注释。
牧养——希腊文作"poimainein"，"如牧人般牧养"；（见
Re 2:27
注释）。
铁杖——杖是为着那持续刚硬、直到他们顺服的人［本格尔］：
Re 2:27; Ps 2:9，
这些经文证明所指是主耶稣。任何忽略此点的解释都是错的。男孩子的诞生不可能是基督教制度的起源（基督教在君士坦丁下胜过异教），那不是妇人的神圣孩子，而含有许多不洁的世俗成分。次要地，见证人升到天上对应基督自己的升天——"被提到神和他的宝座那里"；同样他用铁杖牧养列国也要由信徒有分
（Re 2:27）。
那在妇人的神圣儿子身上首要发生的事，也要发生在那些与他合一的人身上——以色列的受印者
（Re 7:1-8）
以及万国中的选民——他们在他显现之时将被接去并与他一同治理全地。
英文原文
5. man-child--Greek, "a son, a male." On the deep significance of this term, see on
Re 12:1, 2.
rule--Greek, "poimainein," "tend as a shepherd"; (see on
Re 2:27).
rod of iron--A rod is for long-continued obstinacy until they submit themselves to obedience [BENGEL]:
Re 2:27; Ps 2:9,
which passages prove the Lord Jesus to be meant. Any interpretation which ignores this must be wrong. The male son's birth cannot be the origin of the Christian state (Christianity triumphing over heathenism under Constantine), which was not a divine child of the woman, but had many impure worldly elements. In a secondary sense, the ascending of the witnesses up to heaven answers to Christ's own ascension, "caught up unto God, and unto His throne": as also His ruling the nations with a rod of iron is to be shared in by believers
(Re 2:27).
What took place primarily in the case of the divine Son of the woman, shall take place also in the case of those who are one with Him, the sealed of Israel
(Re 7:1-8),
and the elect of all nations, about to be translated and to reign with Him over the earth at His appearing.
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6. 妇人就逃——马利亚带耶稣逃往埃及正是此事的预表。
她有——抄本C如此读。但抄本A和B加"那里"。
一个地方——外邦世界中那已表面接受基督教的部分，即主要是第四国，其座位在 moderno 巴比伦罗马，暗示并非所有外邦世界在现今的秩序中都会基督化。
神所预备——希腊文作"从神"。妇人即教会之逃入旷野，不是出于人的任性或恐惧，而是出于神所定的旨意和预知。
养活她——希腊文作"供养她"。这是不定式，意为"她要被养活"。外邦世界——旷野——不能养活教会，只能为她提供外在的庇护。这里如同
Da 4:26
和其他经文一样，第三人称复数是指天上的众使者，他们从神那里向教会服事供养。以色列出埃及初入旷野之时，有其新妇之爱的时节；照样，基督教会之旷野——初爱之时，乃是使徒时代，那时她与世界的埃及分别，在此没有城邑，乃是寻求那将来的；只有一个神所预备的旷野之地
（Re 12:6, 14）。
淫妇以世界的城为自己的城，正如该隐是头一个城的建造者，而信心的先祖们却住在帐棚里。那时背道的以色列是淫妇，而年幼的基督教会是妇人；但不久属灵的淫乱便潜入，教会在第十七章里不再是妇人，而是淫妇——大巴比伦，然而其中却隐藏着神真正的子民
（Re 18:4）。
教会越是深入异教世界，自己就越是变得异教化。她不但没有胜过世界，反而被世界所胜[奥伯伦]。因此，妇人就是"新旧约不可分割的合一教会"[亨斯滕贝格]，基督教会的根本是以色列（基督和他的使徒都是犹太人），外邦信徒已被嫁接在其上，而以色列归信之时，也要嫁接入自己的橄榄树中。在整个教会历史时期，即"外邦人的日子"——其中"耶路撒冷被外邦人践踏"——期间，并没有信主的犹太教会，因此唯有基督教会可能是"妇人"。同时，次要而言，也指在这教会历史期间犹太人的保存，为要使那曾为"妇人"、男孩子由其所生的以色列，能在列邦的日子末了再次成为妇人，并站在两次拣选之首——字面的以色列，以及从犹太人和外邦人中无分别地拣选出来的属灵以色列——教会。
Eze 20:35, 36，
"我必带你们进万民的旷野（希伯来文作'众民'），在那里……我必与你们争辩……像我与你们列祖在埃及的旷野争辩一样"（比较注释，参
Eze 20:35, 36）：
并非字面和地域上的旷野，而是在属灵意义上，外邦"众民"之中的管教与试炼之状态，贯穿漫长的外邦时代，并最终在敌基督之下那空前艰难的末期中达到顶峰，在其中，那构成"妇人"的受了印记的余民
（Re 7:1-8）
却蒙保守"脱离蛇的脸"
（Re 12:14）。
一千二百六十日——预示
Re 12:14，
导致她逃亡的逼迫在那里按其次序被提及：
Re 13:11-18
详述了逼迫的细节。若从基督的降生直接转到末后的敌基督，而不提及其间漫长的教会历史时期，那是极不可能的。这一千二百六十日（或时期）代表这漫长的间隔，可能在末后敌基督短暂的统治中按类比被简要地重述。它们等于三年半，作为神之数目七的一半，象征世界似乎胜过了教会。由于它们包括整个耶路撒冷被外邦人践踏的外邦时代，其长度必远超一千二百六十年；因为自耶路撒冷陷落以来，已过了远多于一千二百六十年的数个世纪。
英文原文
6. woman fled--Mary's flight with Jesus into Egypt is a type of this.
where she hath--So C reads. But A and B add "there."
a place--that portion of the heathen world which has received Christianity professedly, namely, mainly the fourth kingdom, having its seat in the modern Babylon, Rome, implying that all the heathen world would not be Christianized in the present order of things.
prepared of God--literally, "from God." Not by human caprice or fear, but by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, the woman, the Church, fled into the wilderness.
they should feed her--Greek, "nourish her." Indefinite for, "she should be fed." The heathen world, the wilderness, could not nourish the Church, but only afford her an outward shelter. Here, as in
Da 4:26,
and elsewhere, the third person plural refers to the heavenly powers who minister from God nourishment to the Church. As Israel had its time of first bridal love, on its first going out of Egypt into the wilderness, so the Christian Church's wilderness-time of first love was the apostolic age, when it was separate from the Egypt of this world, having no city here, but seeking one to come; having only a place in the wilderness prepared of God
(Re 12:6, 14).
The harlot takes the world city as her own, even as Cain was the first builder of a city, whereas the believing patriarchs lived in tents. Then apostate Israel was the harlot and the young Christian Church the woman; but soon spiritual fornication crept in, and the Church in the seventeenth chapter is no longer the woman, but the harlot, the great Babylon, which, however, has in it hidden the true people of God
(Re 18:4).
The deeper the Church penetrated into heathendom, the more she herself became heathenish. Instead of overcoming, she was overcome by the world [AUBERLEN]. Thus, the woman is "the one inseparable Church of the Old and New Testament" [HENGSTENBERG], the stock of the Christian Church being Israel (Christ and His apostles being Jews), on which the Gentile believers have been grafted, and into which Israel, on her conversion, shall be grafted, as into her own olive tree. During the whole Church-historic period, or "times of the Gentiles," wherein "Jerusalem is trodden down of the Gentiles," there is no believing Jewish Church, and therefore, only the Christian Church can be "the woman." At the same time there is meant, secondarily, the preservation of the Jews during this Church-historic period, in order that Israel, who was once "the woman," and of whom the man-child was born, may become so again at the close of the Gentile times, and stand at the head of the two elections, literal Israel, and spiritual Israel, the Church elected from Jews and Gentiles without distinction.
Eze 20:35, 36,
"I will bring you into the wilderness of the people (Hebrew, 'peoples'), and there will I plead with you . . . like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of Egypt" (compare Notes, see on
Eze 20:35, 36):
not a wilderness literally and locally, but spiritually a state of discipline and trial among the Gentile "peoples," during the long Gentile times, and one finally consummated in the last time of unparalleled trouble under Antichrist, in which the sealed remnant
(Re 7:1-8)
who constitute "the woman," are nevertheless preserved "from the face of the serpent"
(Re 12:14).
thousand two hundred and threescore days--anticipatory of
Re 12:14,
where the persecution which caused her to flee is mentioned in its place:
Re 13:11-18
gives the details of the persecution. It is most unlikely that the transition should be made from the birth of Christ to the last Antichrist, without notice of the long intervening Church-historical period. Probably the 1260 days, or periods, representing this long interval, are RECAPITULATED on a shorter scale analogically during the last Antichrist's short reign. They are equivalent to three and a half years, which, as half of the divine number seven, symbolize the seeming victory of the world over the Church. As they include the whole Gentile times of Jerusalem's being trodden of the Gentiles, they must be much longer than 1260 years; for, above several centuries more than 1260 years have elapsed since Jerusalem fell.
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7. 在
Job 1:6-11；2:1-6
中，撒但出现在神众子之中，在神面前控告圣徒：在
Zec 3:1, 2
中又是如此。但当基督作为我们的救赎主降临时，他从天坠落——尤其是当基督受苦、复活并升上天堂之时。当基督作为我们的中保出现在神面前时，撒但——那控告的仇敌——就不能再在神面前抵挡我们，而已在司法上被赶出
（Ro 8:33, 34）。
他和他的使者此后遍行空中和地上，过一段时期（即升天与第二次再来之间的间隔）之后也将从此处被赶出并被捆绑于地狱。"天"在此并非单指空中，而是指使者的居所，可见于
Re 12:9, 10, 12；1Ki 22:19-22。
有——希腊文作"发生了"或"起了"。
天上的争战——用语上何等似有矛盾，却是真实的！与基督得胜的蒙福结果形成对比
Lu 19:38
"在天上有平安"。
Col 1:20
"既然借着他在十字架上所流的血成就了和平，便借着他叫万有……都与自己和好了。无论是地上的、天上的"。
米迦勒同他的使者……龙……和它的使者——叛乱既由不忠的天使及其首领发起，那么由忠心的天使和他们的天使长在天上迎击并胜过他们，是合宜的安排。在地上，他们适当地由人子和他的圣徒军兵以兽和假先知为代表而迎击，并将被胜过
（Re 19:14-21）。
地上的争战，如同
Da 10:13
一样，在天上有其对应的天使争战。米迦勒特别作犹太民族的君或首脑天使。天上的争战虽在基督复活和升天之时已在司法上对撒但作出了判决，却在天使将撒但从天上赶出这一审判的执行中得以实际完成。自基督升天以来，他在司法上对信主的选民已无立足之地。
Lu 10:18
"我曾看见（在鬼魔服于门徒这件事上所给的将来完全应验的凭据中）撒但从天上坠落，像闪电一样"。米迦勒从前曾为旧约中保的身体与撒但争战
（犹9），
如今新约的中保借着他无罪之身体的献祭，使米迦勒得着能力更新并完成这场争战，大获全胜。撒但虽在司法上自基督升天之时已被定罪赶出天上，却尚未实际且最终被赶出，可见于
Eph 6:12
"天空（希腊文作'属天的'）属灵气的恶魔"。这是此处主要的教会历史意义。但借着以色列的不信，撒但对那蒙拣选之国也有把柄，在神面前作其控告者。在以色列复兴的前夕——在更远的意义上——他在天上对以色列的立足之地也将被夺去，"拣选耶路撒冷的耶和华"斥责他，并借着犹太人的君——首脑天使米迦勒——将他实际且永远地从天上赶出。因此
Zec 3:1-9
严格地与此平行——大祭司约书亚代表他的国家以色列，撒但站在神的右边作仇敌抵挡以色列的称义。那时，且惟独那时，
（Re 12:10
"如今"等，）才完全应验——万物……在天上都与基督和好
（Col 1:20），
天上才有平安
（Lu 19:38）。
攻击——抄本A、B、C读作"与"。
英文原文
7. In
Job 1:6-11; 2:1-6,
Satan appears among the sons of God, presenting himself before God in heaven, as the accuser of the saints: again in
Zec 3:1, 2.
But at Christ's coming as our Redeemer, he fell from heaven, especially when Christ suffered, rose again, and ascended to heaven. When Christ appeared before God as our Advocate, Satan, the accusing adversary, could no longer appear before God against us, but was cast out judicially
(Ro 8:33, 34).
He and his angels henceforth range through the air and the earth, after a time (namely, the interval between the ascension and the second advent) about to be cast hence also, and bound in hell. That "heaven" here does not mean merely the air, but the abode of angels, appears from
Re 12:9, 10, 12; 1Ki 22:19-22.
there was--Greek, "there came to pass," or "arose."
war in heaven--What a seeming contradiction in terms, yet true! Contrast the blessed result of Christ's triumph,
Lu 19:38,
"peace in heaven."
Col 1:20,
"made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; whether . . . things in earth, or things in heaven."
Michael and his angels . . . the dragon . . . and his angels--It was fittingly ordered that, as the rebellion arose from unfaithful angels and their leader, so they should be encountered and overcome by faithful angels and their archangel, in heaven. On earth they are fittingly encountered, and shall be overcome, as represented by the beast and false prophet, by the Son of man and His armies of human saints
(Re 19:14-21).
The conflict on earth, as in
Da 10:13,
has its correspondent conflict of angels in heaven. Michael is peculiarly the prince, or presiding angel, of the Jewish nation. The conflict in heaven, though judicially decided already against Satan from the time of Christ's resurrection and ascension, receives its actual completion in the execution of judgment by the angels who cast out Satan from heaven. From Christ's ascension he has no standing-ground judicially against the believing elect.
Lu 10:18,
"I beheld (in the earnest of the future full fulfilment given in the subjection of the demons to the disciples) Satan as lightning fall from heaven." As Michael fought before with Satan about the body of the mediator of the old covenant
(Jude 9),
so now the mediator of the new covenant, by offering His sinless body in sacrifice, arms Michael with power to renew and finish the conflict by a complete victory. That Satan is not yet actually and finally cast out of heaven, though the judicial sentence to that effect received its ratification at Christ's ascension, appears from
Eph 6:12,
"spiritual wickedness in high (Greek, 'heavenly') places." This is the primary Church-historical sense here. But, through Israel's unbelief, Satan has had ground against that, the elect nation, appearing before God as its accuser. At the eve of its restoration, in the ulterior sense, his standing-ground in heaven against Israel, too, shall be taken from him, "the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem" rebuking him, and casting him out from heaven actually and for ever by Michael, the prince, or presiding angel of the Jews. Thus
Zec 3:1-9
is strictly parallel, Joshua, the high priest, being representative of his nation Israel, and Satan standing at God's fight hand as adversary to resist Israel's justification. Then, and not till then, fully
(Re 12:10,
"NOW," &c.) shall ALL things be reconciled unto Christ IN HEAVEN
(Col 1:20),
and there shall be peace in heaven
(Lu 19:38).
against--A, B, and C read, "with."
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8. 得胜——抄本A和科普特译本读作"他没有得胜"。但抄本B和C与英文译本同读。
也——抄本A、B、C读作"也不"（希腊文作"oude"）：一种递进。他们不仅不得胜，而且他们的地方在天上也不再被找到了。撒但日益加深的坠落中有四个层次：（1）他被剥夺了在天上的尊荣，但直到基督第一次来之前仍能以人类控告者的身份进到天上。天既未完全向人敞开
（Joh 3:13），
也就未向撒但及其鬼魔关闭。旧约的施行不能胜过他。（2）从基督直到千禧年，他在司法上被赶出天上作为选民的控告者，并在千禧年前不久失去他对以色列的权势，并由米迦勒将驱逐的判决完全执行在他和他使者身上。他在地上的暴怒因此更大，他的能力集中于地上，尤其在末期——"因为知道自己的时候不多"
（Re 12:12）。
（3）他在千禧年期间被捆绑
（Re 20:1-3）。
（4）在被释放片刻之后，他被永远扔在火湖里。
英文原文
8. prevailed not--A and Coptic read, "He prevailed not." But B and C read as English Version.
neither--A, B, and C read, "not even" (Greek, "oude"): a climax. Not only did they not prevail, but not even their place was found any more in heaven. There are four gradations in the ever deeper downfall of Satan: (1) He is deprived of his heavenly excellency, though having still access to heaven as man's accuser, up to Christ's first coming. As heaven was not fully yet opened to man
(Joh 3:13),
so it was not yet shut against Satan and his demons. The Old Testament dispensation could not overcome him. (2) From Christ, down to the millennium, he is judicially cast out of heaven as the accuser of the elect, and shortly before the millennium loses his power against Israel, and has sentence of expulsion fully executed on him and his by Michael. His rage on earth is consequently the greater, his power being concentrated on it, especially towards the end, when "he knoweth that he hath but a short time"
(Re 12:12).
(3) He is bound during the millennium
(Re 20:1-3).
(4) After having been loosed for a while, he is cast for ever into the lake of fire.
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9. 古蛇——暗指
Ge 3:1, 4。
魔鬼——希腊文，意为"控告者"或"谗谤者"。
撒但——希伯来文，意为"仇敌"，特指法庭上的对头。这双重称呼——希腊文和希伯来文——标明了他控告和试探的双重对象——蒙拣选的外邦人和蒙拣选的犹太人。
天下——希腊文作"有人居住的世界"。
英文原文
9. that old serpent--alluding to
Ge 3:1, 4.
Devil--the Greek, for "accuser," or "slanderer."
Satan--the Hebrew for "adversary," especially in a court of justice. The twofold designation, Greek and Hebrew, marks the twofold objects of his accusations and temptations, the elect Gentiles and the elect Jews.
world--Greek, "habitable world."
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10. 现在——撒但如今既已从天被赶出。首先部分地应验于耶稣复活和升天之时，那时他说
（Mt 28:18）
"天上地下所有的权柄[希腊文作'exousia'，'权柄'，如此处；见下文]都赐给我了"；与
Re 12:5
"她的孩子被提到神和他的宝座那里"相连。在更远的意义上，它指基督第二次再来的前夕，那时以色列将作为基督教界之母会得复兴，撒但曾以以色列的不配为由抵挡她的复兴，如今已借着以色列的天使君米迦勒（参
Re 12:7
的注释）被赶出。
因此这与那以类似话语表达的荣耀事件——
Re 11:15
"世上的国成了（与本处同词，希腊文作'egeneto'，'成了'，'已经发生'）我主和主基督的国"——平行，并是其必要前提；是以色列恢复其地位的结果。
救恩等——希腊文作"这救恩（即完全、最终且胜利地成就的救恩，
Heb 9:28；
比较
Lu 3:6，
仍是未来的；因此，蒙福之人直到如今才为羔羊的救恩献上最丰满的哈利路亚，
Re 7:10；19:1），
大能（希腊文作'dunamis'），以及他的基督的权柄（希腊文作'exousia'；'合法的权能'；见上文）"。
在我们神面前昼夜控告他们——因此受压迫的教会——神自己的选民（如同那寡妇，不断地来，甚至使不义的官疲乏）——必须昼夜向他呼求。
英文原文
10. Now--Now that Satan has been cast out of heaven. Primarily fulfilled in part at Jesus' resurrection and ascension, when He said
(Mt 28:18),
"All power [Greek, 'exousia,' 'authority,' as here; see below] is given unto Me in heaven and in earth"; connected with
Re 12:5,
"Her child was caught up unto God and to His throne." In the ulterior sense, it refers to the eve of Christ's second coming, when Israel is about to be restored as mother-church of Christendom, Satan, who had resisted her restoration on the ground of her unworthiness, having been cast out by the instrumentality of Michael, Israel's angelic prince (see on
Re 12:7).
Thus this is parallel, and the necessary preliminary to the glorious event similarly expressed,
Re 11:15,
"The kingdom of this world is become (the very word here, Greek, 'egeneto,' 'is come,' 'hath come to pass') our Lord's and His Christ's," the result of Israel's resuming her place.
salvation, &c.--Greek, "the salvation (namely, fully, finally, and victoriously accomplished,
Heb 9:28;
compare
Lu 3:6,
yet future; hence, not till now do the blessed raise the fullest hallelujah for salvation to the Lamb,
Re 7:10; 19:1)
the power (Greek, 'dunamis'), and the authority (Greek, 'exousia'; 'legitimate power'; see above) of His Christ."
accused them before our God day and night--Hence the need that the oppressed Church, God's own elect (like the widow, continually coming, so as even to weary the unjust judge), should cry day and night unto Him.
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11. 弟兄——在希腊文中是强调的。"他们"特别地。他们，唯独他们。他们才是胜过的人。
胜过——
（Ro 8:33, 34, 37；16:20。）
它——
（1Jo 2:14, 15。）
这是同一的胜利（一个特别带有约翰特色的用语）——胜过撒但和世界——约翰福音描述在耶稣的生命中，约翰书信描述在每个信徒的生命中，约翰的《启示录》描述在教会的生命中。
因等——希腊文（dia to haima；是宾格，不是属格——如英文译本所要求的，比较
Heb 9:12），
"因羔羊的血"（"因……的缘故"）；因其已流出。若那血未流，撒但的控告便无法答辩；如今，那血满足了每一控告。舒特根提到拉比传统，说撒但一年到头控告人，唯有赎罪日除外。蒂特曼将希腊文作"dia"按其常见的意思，解为"出于对羔羊之血的关注"——这是促使他们为此投入争战的推动因；但上述的看法是好的希腊文，也更符合圣经的整体意思。
因自己所见证的道——希腊文作"因他们见证的道"。因他们至死忠心的见证，他们成为得胜者。他们的见证显明了他们借羔羊之血而胜过他。借此他们承认自己是那被杀羔羊的敬拜者，并胜过兽——撒但的代表；这是对
Re 15:2
"那些胜了兽的"的预告（比较
Re 13:15, 16）。
至于——希腊文作"achri"，"甚至直到"。他们将他们不爱惜生命的心甚至直到死。
英文原文
11. they--emphatic in the Greek. "They" in particular. They and they alone. They were the persons who overcame.
overcame--
(Ro 8:33, 34, 37; 16:20).
him--
(1Jo 2:14, 15).
It is the same victory (a peculiarly Johannean phrase) over Satan and the world which the Gospel of John describes in the life of Jesus, his Epistle in the life of each believer, and his Apocalypse in the life of the Church.
by, &c.--Greek (dia to haima; accusative, not genitive case, as English Version would require, compare
Heb 9:12),
"on account of (on the ground of) the blood of the Lamb"; "because of"; on account of and by virtue of its having been shed. Had that blood not been shed, Satan's accusations would have been unanswerable; as it is, that blood meets every charge. SCHOTTGEN mentions the Rabbinical tradition that Satan accuses men all days of the year, except the day of atonement. TITTMANN takes the Greek "dia," as it often means, out of regard to the blood of the Lamb; this was the impelling cause which induced them to undertake the contest for the sake of it; but the view given above is good Greek, and more in accordance with the general sense of Scripture.
by the word of their testimony--Greek, "on account of the word of their testimony." On the ground of their faithful testimony, even unto death, they are constituted victors. Their testimony evinced their victory over him by virtue of the blood of the Lamb. Hereby they confess themselves worshippers of the slain Lamb and overcome the beast, Satan's representative; an anticipation of
Re 15:2,
"them that had gotten the victory over the beast" (compare
Re 13:15, 16).
unto--Greek, "achri," "even as far as." They carried their not-love of life as far as even unto death.
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12. 所以——因为撒但既已从天被赶出
（Re 12:9）。
住在——字面作"帐幕"。不仅使者和义人的灵魂与神同在，在地上争战的忠信者也是如此——他们在灵里已经支搭帐幕在天上，以此为家和公民权——他们为撒但被赶出他们的家而快乐。"帐幕"代替"住"，是为要标明：虽然仍在地上，他们在灵里隐藏于"神帐幕的隐密处"。他们不属于世界，因此为审判已临到这世界的王子而欢欣。
住在——安德烈亚斯如此读。但抄本A、B、C省略。这些字大概是从
Re 8:13
插入的。
来到——更应按希腊文作"catebee"，"降到"；约翰以天为观察的立场，从那里俯看地。
你们——地与海及其居民；那些倚靠地（比较
Joh 3:7
旁注，与
Joh 3:31；8:23；Php 3:19
末；1Jo 4:5）
及其如海般动荡的政治、本质上属地之人。撒但因被逐出天上而狂怒，又知道他在地上的时间短暂——直到基督来建立他的国度
（Re 20:1, 2）
时他将被降到更低之处——便集中一切能力要毁灭尽可能多的灵魂。他虽不再能在天上控告蒙拣选者，却能在地上试探并逼迫。光越得胜，黑暗权势的挣扎就越大；因此，在最后的危机中，敌基督将以超过以往任何时代的邪恶强度显明自己。
不多的时候——希腊文作"kairon"，"时节"：他攻击的机会。
英文原文
12. Therefore--because Satan is cast out of heaven
(Re 12:9).
dwell--literally, "tabernacle." Not only angels and the souls of the just with God, but also the faithful militant on earth, who already in spirit tabernacle in heaven, having their home and citizenship there, rejoice that Satan is cast out of their home. "Tabernacle" for dwell is used to mark that, though still on the earth, they in spirit are hidden "in the secret of God's tabernacle." They belong not to the world, and, therefore, exult in judgment having been passed on the prince of this world.
the inhabiters of--So ANDREAS reads. But A, B, and C omit. The words probably, were inserted from
Re 8:13.
is come down--rather as Greek, "catebee," "is gone down"; John regarding the heaven as his standing-point of view whence he looks down on the earth.
unto you--earth and sea, with their inhabitants; those who lean upon, and essentially belong to, the earth (contrast
Joh 3:7,
Margin, with
Joh 3:31; 8:23; 1Jo+4:5">Php 3:19, end; 1Jo 4:5)
and its sea-like troubled politics. Furious at his expulsion from heaven, and knowing that his time on earth is short until he shall be cast down lower, when Christ shall come to set up His kingdom
(Re 20:1, 2),
Satan concentrates all his power to destroy as many souls as he can. Though no longer able to accuse the elect in heaven, he can tempt and persecute on earth. The more light becomes victorious, the greater will be the struggles of the powers of darkness; whence, at the last crisis, Antichrist will manifest himself with an intensity of iniquity greater than ever before.
short time--Greek, "kairon," "season": opportunity for his assaults.
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13. 从
Re 12:6
恢复被插曲
（Re 12:7-12
——在无形世界中给出可见世界中光暗相应冲突的根据）
所中断的论述线索，本节解释了她逃到旷野
（Re 12:6）
的原因。
英文原文
13. Resuming from
Re 12:6
the thread of the discourse, which had been interrupted by the episode,
Re 12:7-12
(giving in the invisible world the ground of the corresponding conflict between light and darkness in the visible world), this verse accounts for her flight into the wilderness
(Re 12:6).
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14. 赐给——由神所定的安排，不是由人的机遇
（Ac 9:11）。
两个——希腊文作"那大鹰的那两个翅膀"。暗指
Ex 19:4：
证明旧约教会和新约教会都包括在"妇人"之内。一切信徒都包括在内
（Isa 40:30, 31）。
那大鹰是世界权势；在
Eze 17:3, 7
中是巴比伦和埃及：在早期教会历史中是罗马——其标准是鹰——借神护理之工从仇敌转为基督教会的保护者。"翅膀"表达地的远处，两个翅膀在此可能指罗马帝国的东、西两部分。
旷野——外邦人的地：与迦南——那荣美和荣耀之地——形成对比。神住在荣耀之地；鬼魔——外邦世界的统治者
（Re 9:20；1Co 10:20）——
住在旷野。因此巴比伦被称为海边的旷野，
Isa 21:1-10
（在
Re 14:8；18:2
中也提及）。
异教世界在其本质上既没有神，就是荒凉的旷野。因此，妇人逃到旷野，是神的国从犹太人中间转到外邦人中间（由马利亚带孩子从犹太逃往埃及所预表）。鹰的飞翔是从埃及到旷野。所说的埃及实际上
（Re 11:8）
被告知是耶路撒冷——因钉了我们的主而在属灵上成了埃及。新约教会从其中逃出，正如旧约教会从字面的埃及逃出；又如同真教会后来被呼召从巴比伦（那变成淫妇的妇人——即变成背道者的教会）逃出一样[奥伯伦]。
她的地方——当时世界帝国的主要所在地——罗马。《使徒行传》描述了教会从耶路撒冷到罗马的迁移。罗马的保护是那常常护庇保罗——这迁移的伟大器皿——以及基督教、抵挡那些煽动外诺暴徒之犹太反对者的鹰翼。教会渐渐有越来越稳固的"地方"，直到在君士坦丁治下，帝国成为基督教的。尽管如此，这整个教会历史时期仍被视为旷野时期——在其中教会部分受世界权势保护，部分受其压迫——直到末了之前不久，世界权势在撒但之下的敌意将空前地爆发。正如以色列在旷野四十年、旅程中有四十二站，照样教会在耶路撒冷倾覆与基督再来之间的四十二个月、三年半或期（字面作时节，在希腊化希腊文中用以代年，[摩埃里斯，那阿提卡派]，希腊文作"kairous"，
Da 7:25；12:7），
或1260日
（Re 12:6），
将是旷野的寄居者——然后才达到她千禧年的安息（对应古时的迦南）。除了这教会历史的应验之外，可能还有更远也较窄的应验——以色列恢复巴勒斯坦之时，敌基督在其中七个时期（与较长的时期类似的短时期）掌权，前三年半期与犹太人立约，然后在"一七之半"毁约，大多数国民借第二次出埃及逃到旷野，同时余民留在地上遭受可怕的逼迫（那"以色列受印的十四万四千人"
Re 7:1-8；14:1，
在争战结束后与羔羊一同站在锡安山上：是大群将要被招聚归他之人中的"初熟的果子"）
[德·伯格]。
这些细节很是揣测性。在
Da 7:25；12:7
中，主题——或许此处也是如此——是以色列遭难的时候。七个时期不一定指七年、其中每日代一年、即2520年——可见于尼布甲尼撒的七期
（Da 4:23），
对应敌基督——兽——的持续。
英文原文
14. were given--by God's determinate appointment, not by human chances
(Ac 9:11).
two--Greek, "the two wings of the great eagle." Alluding to
Ex 19:4:
proving that the Old Testament Church, as well as the New Testament Church, is included in "the woman." All believers are included
(Isa 40:30, 31).
The great eagle is the world power; in
Eze 17:3, 7,
Babylon and Egypt: in early Church history, Rome, whose standard was the eagle, turned by God's providence from being hostile into a protector of the Christian Church. As "wings" express remote parts of the earth, the two wings may here mean the east and west divisions of the Roman empire.
wilderness--the land of the heathen, the Gentiles: in contrast to Canaan, the pleasant and glorious land. God dwells in the glorious land; demons (the rulers of the heathen world,
Re 9:20; 1Co 10:20),
in the wilderness. Hence Babylon is called the desert of the sea,
Isa 21:1-10
(referred to also in
Re 14:8; 18:2).
Heathendom, in its essential nature, being without God, is a desolate wilderness. Thus, the woman's flight into the wilderness is the passing of the kingdom of God from the Jews to be among the Gentiles (typified by Mary's flight with her child from Judea into Egypt). The eagle flight is from Egypt into the wilderness. The Egypt meant is virtually stated
(Re 11:8)
to be Jerusalem, which has become spiritually so by crucifying our Lord. Out of her the New Testament Church flees, as the Old Testament Church out of the literal Egypt; and as the true Church subsequently is called to flee out of Babylon (the woman become an harlot, that is, the Church become apostate) [AUBERLEN].
her place--the chief seat of the then world empire, Rome. The Acts of the Apostles describe the passing of the Church from Jerusalem to Rome. The Roman protection was the eagle wing which often shielded Paul, the great instrument of this transmigration, and Christianity, from Jewish opponents who stirred up the heathen mobs. By degrees the Church had "her place" more and more secure, until, under Constantine, the empire became Christian. Still, all this Church-historical period is regarded as a wilderness time, wherein the Church is in part protected, in part oppressed, by the world power, until just before the end the enmity of the world power under Satan shall break out against the Church worse than ever. As Israel was in the wilderness forty years, and had forty-two stages in her journey, so the Church for forty-two months, three and a half years or times [literally, seasons, used for years in Hellenistic Greek (MOERIS, the Atticist), Greek, "kairous,"
Da 7:25; 12:7],
or 1260 days
(Re 12:6)
between the overthrow of Jerusalem and the coming again of Christ, shall be a wilderness sojourner before she reaches her millennial rest (answering to Canaan of old). It is possible that, besides this Church-historical fulfilment, there may be also an ulterior and narrower fulfilment in the restoration of Israel to Palestine, Antichrist for seven times (short periods analogical to the longer ones) having power there, for the former three and a half times keeping covenant with the Jews, then breaking it in the midst of the week, and the mass of the nation fleeing by a second Exodus into the wilderness, while a remnant remains in the land exposed to a fearful persecution (the "144,000 sealed of Israel,"
Re 7:1-8; 14:1,
standing with the Lamb, after the conflict is over, on Mount Zion: "the first-fruits" of a large company to be gathered to Him) [DE BURGH]. These details are very conjectural. In
Da 7:25; 12:7,
the subject, as perhaps here, is the time of Israel's calamity. That seven times do not necessarily mean seven years, in which each day is a year, that is, 2520 years, appears from Nebuchadnezzar's seven times
(Da 4:23),
answering to Antichrist, the beast's duration.
15
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15, 16. 洪水——希腊文作"河"（比较
Ex 2:3；Mt 2:20；
尤其
Ex 14:1-31）。
洪水——或河——是日耳曼部族的潮流，他们倾泻于罗马，威胁要毁灭基督教。但地却帮助妇人，吞了那洪水。地，作为与水相对的，是被巩固和文明化了的世界。日耳曼群众被置于罗马文明与基督教的影响之下[奥伯伦]。或许这也包括，一般而言，地上的权势（那些最不可能、却被神护理之工引导来给予帮助的）对教会抵挡逼迫以及异端所给予的帮助，教会曾屡次因此受攻击。
英文原文
15, 16. flood--Greek, "river" (compare
Ex 2:3; Mt 2:20;
and especially
Ex 14:1-31).
The flood, or river, is the stream of Germanic tribes which, pouring on Rome, threatened to destroy Christianity. But the earth helped the woman, by swallowing up the flood. The earth, as contradistinguished from water, is the world consolidated and civilized. The German masses were brought under the influence of Roman civilization and Christianity [AUBERLEN]. Perhaps it includes also, generally, the help given by earthly powers (those least likely, yet led by God's overruling providence to give help) to the Church against persecutions and also heresies, by which she has been at various times assailed.
17
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17. 向……发怒——希腊文作"对"。
去——希腊文作"走开"。
她其余的儿女——在某种意义上与妇人本身有别。撒但首先的企图是要根除基督教会，使基督教没有可见的信仰告白。在此失败之后，他便争战
（Re 11:7; 13:7）
攻击那不可见的教会，即"那守神诫命、为耶稣作见证的"（抄本A、B、C省略"基督"）。这些就是"其余的"，或她其余的儿女，一方面区别于她的儿女"男孩子"
（Re 12:5），
另一方面区别于那只在表面上承认的人。教会——在她的荣美和合一中（以色列在基督身体之首，全体构成一个完全的教会）——如今尚未显明，而是等候基督再来时那神众子的显明。撒但既不能毁灭基督教和整体教会，便将他的敌意转向真基督徒——蒙拣选的余民：其余的他任凭不动。
英文原文
17. wroth with--Greek, "at."
went--Greek, "went away."
the remnant of her seed--distinct in some sense from the woman herself. Satan's first effort was to root out the Christian Church, so that there should be no visible profession of Christianity. Foiled in this, he wars
(Re 11:7; 13:7)
against the invisible Church, namely, "those who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus" (A, B, and C omit "Christ"). These are "the remnant," or rest of her seed, as distinguished from her seed, "the man-child"
(Re 12:5),
on one hand, and from mere professors on the other. The Church, in her beauty and unity (Israel at the head of Christendom, the whole forming one perfect Church), is now not manifested, but awaiting the manifestations of the sons of God at Christ's coming. Unable to destroy Christianity and the Church as a whole, Satan directs his enmity against true Christians, the elect remnant: the others he leaves unmolested.
Re 12:1-17.
妇人、她的孩子与逼迫之龙的异象。
1. 这段插叙
（Re 12:1-15:8）
详细描述了以色列与蒙拣选之教会受兽逼迫的情形——此事先前在
Re 11:7-10
概括提及——以及忠信者的得胜与不忠信者受折磨。同样地，第十六至二十二章是论兽等受审判的详细描述，在
Re 11:13, 18
中曾概括提及。
Re 12:3
等处的兽，被表明并非单独行动，而是撒但这更大黑暗权势手中的工具。这一点之所以成立，可从第十一章的时期与第十二、十三章事件发生的时期相同看出，即1260天
（Re 12:6, 14; Re 13:5；
比较
Re 11:2, 3）。
大——指大小与重要性。
异象——希腊文作"记号"：表明重大真理的记号。
天上——不仅仅是天空，而是刚才提到的那个天，
Re 11:19；
比较
Re 12:7-9。
身披日头……月亮在脚下——即教会，先是以色列，后是外邦教会；披戴基督，即"公义的日头"。"美丽如月亮，皎洁如日头。"披戴日头的教会，是世上神圣超自然之光的承载者。因此七教会（即普世教会——妇人）被表现为发光的灯台
（Re 1:12, 20）。
另一方面，月亮虽高居海与地之上，却全然与它们相连，是属地的光：海、地和月亮代表世俗的元素，与神的国——即天、太阳——相对。月亮不能驱散黑暗使其变为白昼：因此她代表与世界超然之事相关的世界宗教（异教）。所以教会有月亮在脚下；而星——属天的光——却在她头上。魔鬼竭力攻击那些星，就是教会的使者——他们此后将永远发光。她头上的冠冕——十二星——就是以色列的十二个支派［奥伯伦］。先前对以色列的暗示与此相符：比较
Re 11:19，
"神的殿"、"他的约柜"。约柜在巴比伦之掳时失落，此后未曾寻见，却在"天上所开的神殿中"出现，表明神如今再次与他古时的百姓立约。按字面意义，妇人不可能指耶稣的童贞母亲，因为她并未逃到旷野、在那里停留1260天，而龙却逼迫她其余的儿女
（Re 12:13-17）
［德·伯格］。日头、月亮和十二星，是雅各、利亚（或拉结）以及十二位先祖的象征，即犹太教会：其次也指普世教会——她脚下在正当的从属地位有那亏缺盈亏的月亮，它借反射发光，是犹太教体制的象征——如今虽处于次等地位却仍托住妇人，也是这易变世界之事的象征；她头上有十二星之冠——十二使徒，然而他们与以色列十二支派紧密相关。教会在进入外邦世界时，（1）受逼迫；（2）继而被诱惑——当异教开始对其产生反作用之时。这就是象征性的妇人、兽、淫妇和假先知含义的关键。妇人与兽形成对比，正与但以理书中人子与兽的对比相同。正如人子从天而来，妇人也被看见在天上
（Re 12:1）。
两只兽分别从海中（比较
Da 7:3）
和地中
（Re 13:1, 11）
上来：它们的源头不属天，而是属地的、属土的。但以理看见天上的新郎明显地再来掌权。约翰却看见妇人——新妇——她的呼召是属天的，在世上，在主再来之前。妇人与男人的区别特征，在于她顺服、舍己、领受。这同样是人与神的关系——顺服神并从神领受。人灵的一切自主都颠倒了人与神的关系。如妇人般对神的领受构成了信心。借这信心，个人成为神的儿女；集合的儿女则被视为"妇人"。就其属于神而言，人类就是妇人。基督——妇人之子——在
Re 12:5
中被着重称为"男孩子"（希腊文"huios arrheen"，"男性的孩子"）。他虽为女子所生，又为人的缘故服在律法之下，他也是神的儿子，因此是教会的丈夫。作为妇人之子，他是"人子"；作为男孩子，他是神的儿子，是教会的丈夫。凡幻想自己里面有生命的人，都与那生命之源隔绝，凭己力站立，便沦落到无知的兽的地步。因此，妇人普世性地指神的国；兽指世界的国。耶稣所从出的妇人代表旧约中神的会众。妇人的产难之痛
（Re 12:2）
代表旧约信徒对所应许救赎主的恳切盼望。比较他降生时的喜乐
（Isa 9:6）。
正如新耶路撒冷（又称"妇人"或"妻子"
Re 21:2, 9-12），
有十二个门，是得荣耀变化的教会；同样，有十二星的妇人是争战的教会。