The Woman of Revelation 12

Lutero said: 

2 Roman Catholic scholars comment on Revelation 12 as being about Mary. As you will see the facts of Scriptures don't fit for it being about Mary.Raymond Brown and J.A. Fitzmyer, editors of the Jerome Biblical Commentary (2:482):“a woman: Most of the ancient commentators identified her with the Church; in the Middle Ages it was widely held that she represented Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Modern exegetes have generally adopted the older interpretation, with certain modifications.In recent years several Catholics have championed the Marian interpretation. Numerous contextual details, however, are ill-suited to such an explanation. For example, we are scarcely to think that Mary endured the worst of the pains of childbirth (v. 2), that she was pursued into the desert after the birth of her child (6, 13ff.), or, finally, that she was persecuted through her other children (v. 17). The emphasis on the persecution of the woman is really appropriate only if she represents the Church, which is presented throughout the book as oppressed by the forces of evil, yet protected by God. Furthermore, the image of a woman is common in ancient Oriental secular literature as well as in the Bible (e.g., Is 50:1; Jer 50:12) as a symbol for a people, a nation, or a city. It is fitting, then, to see in this woman the People of God, the true Israel of the OT and NT.”
One of the problems you have with your analysis is that none of the apostles teach what you claim. No apostle claims that Mary had a crown of 12 stars. The other problem is the to have pain in childbirth was part of the curse that God gave because of sin. Now if Mary was sinless then she would not have felt the pain of childbirth as verse 2 says.

 My Response:

Lutero: 

2 Roman Catholic scholars comment on Revelation 12 as being about Mary. As you will see the facts of Scriptures don't fit for it being about Mary.Raymond Brown and J.A. Fitzmyer, editors of the Jerome Biblical Commentary (2:482):“a woman: Most of the ancient commentators identified her with the Church;

Lutero, the key word here is "most". Most does not mean "all".

in the Middle Ages it was widely held that she represented Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

This statement is representative of the Protestant mindset of "either/or". The Catholic Church has never maintained that this is about either the Church or Mary. The Catholic Church has always known it is about Mary and about the Church and about Israel.

But the person whom it fits more closely and perfectly is Mary. Because Mary is a Woman and Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ. And the Woman of Rev 12 fits that description perfectly.

Modern exegetes have generally adopted the older interpretation, with certain modifications.
In recent years several Catholics have championed the Marian interpretation. Numerous contextual details, however, are ill-suited to such an explanation. For example, we are scarcely to think that Mary endured the worst of the pains of childbirth (v. 2),

Anyone reading Rev 12 can see that the ideas represented there are symbolic. To what do the symbols of birth pains refer in the context of Mary? To the prophecy of Simeon:

Luke 2:35

(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

to the fact that she would have to suffer the flight to Egypt to save her Son.

to the fact that she would have to suffer the sight of her Son being persecuted and killed by the Jews.

that she was pursued into the desert after the birth of her child (6, 13ff.), 

She was. She had to flee to Egypt, Egypt is in a desert.

or, finally, that she was persecuted through her other children (v. 17). 

Through her other Spiritual Children who would be martyred for the name of Christ:

Revelation 12:17

King James Version (KJV)

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ

The emphasis on the persecution of the woman is really appropriate only if she represents the Church, which is presented throughout the book as oppressed by the forces of evil, yet protected by God. 

Except for one thing. The Church did not give birth to Christ. The Church is the mother of Christians. But not of Christ. The most direct correlation to that aspect of the prophecy remains MARY OF NAZARETH, the Mother of God.

Furthermore, the image of a woman is common in ancient Oriental secular literature as well as in the Bible (e.g., Is 50:1; Jer 50:12) as a symbol for a people, a nation, or a city. It is fitting, then, to see in this woman the People of God, the true Israel of the OT and NT.”

And that is part of the interpretation of the Catholic Church. But the most explicit interpretation is that the Woman is Mary.

One of the problems you have with your analysis is that none of the apostles teach what you claim. No apostle claims that Mary had a crown of 12 stars.

St. John did. Rev 12:1

The other problem is the to have pain in childbirth was part of the curse that God gave because of sin.

That is not our problem but yours. Look at Rev 12. Look at the birth of the Child. Is that Child, Jesus Christ? Did Jesus Christ ascend as an infant or after the Resurrection? Did Jesus Christ ascend to His Throne when He was not even a minute old or when He was thirty three years old?

Why, if 99% of the writing in that chapter is symbolic, do you expect the verses concerning Mary to be absolutely literal? The answer is simple. Because you don't want to know the truth.

But you are only deceiving yourself.

Now if Mary was sinless then she would not have felt the pain of childbirth as verse 2 says.

Mary was sinless and the pains of childbirth depicted in Rev 12 are symbolic references to the emotional suffering which Mary had to undergo as a result of her vocation as the Mother of our Lord.

Sincerely,

De Maria