289. 对于 “妻子” 表教会, 在宇宙义上, 表主在天上和地上的国, 这在前面也作了说明. 基于此, “母” 也是表教会. 在圣经中, 教会常被称为 “母”, 例如: “你们的母亲被休, 休书在那里呢?” (以赛亚书 50:1)

又如: “你们的母极其抱愧, 生你们的必然蒙羞.” (耶利米书 50:12)

再如: “你正是你母亲的女儿, 厌弃丈夫和众子. 你母亲是赫人, 你父亲是亚摩利人.” (以西结书 16:45) 在此, “丈夫” 表主并一切属天之性, “众子” 表信之真理, “赫人” 表虚假, “亚摩利人” 表罪恶.

再如: “你的母亲先前如葡萄树, 和你一样, 栽于水旁. 因为水多, 就多结果子, 满生枝子.” (以西结书 19:10) 在此, “母” 表古教会. 上古教会尤被称为 “母”, 因为它是首个教会, 也是 唯一属天的教会, 最得主的喜爱.

On a natural level, there are a variety of things that can cause shame. We might be ashamed of physical weakness or ugliness; we might be ashamed of a lack of education or a menial job; we might be ashamed of a dirty house or a misbehaving child. On a deeper level we would be ashamed to have people know our dark thoughts and unspoken desires. All of these have to do with our failings, our sense of not being good enough. And so it is in the Bible, where "shame" represents a knowledge and acknowledgement of our own evil, its hold on us and the delight we take in it.