Nobody today is unaware that this is the first prediction concerning the Lord's Coming into the world; indeed it is quite clear from the words themselves. From them and from the Prophets the Jews also know that a Messiah is going to come. But nobody as yet knows what the serpent, the woman, the seed of the serpent, the seed of the woman, the head of the serpent which He will tread down, and the heel which the serpent will bruise, are used to mean in particular. Therefore these must be explained. 'The serpent' is here used to mean in general all evil, and in particular self-love. 'The woman' is used to mean the Church, 'the seed of the serpent 'all faithlessness, 'the seed of the woman' faith in the Lord, 'He' the Lord Himself, 'the head of the serpent' the reign of evil in general, and of self-love in particular. 'Treading down' is used to mean forcing down so that it goes on its belly and eats dust, and 'the heel' the lowest part of the natural which is the bodily, which the serpent will bruise.