In NT times, the Church picked this up immediately, with Paul choosing this image of the church as mother, which reappears in four places in the New Testament. First and most obviously in Galatians 4:21-31 Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1 as he contrasts the enslaved descendants of Hagar with the free descendants of Sarah. While Hagar corresponds to earthly Jerusalem, Sarah represents heavenly Jerusalem --- personified as the Church.
The Church is always honored with the title of the Bride of Christ and referred to as "she" (rather than "it"). Mary the Mother of Christ is also seen as the Mother of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church. Christ gave her to his disciple John to be his mother; so all disciples find her their own. And as Mary gave birth to Christ, the Church gives birth (through baptism) to all believers; this is why we use the phrase, "Holy Mother the Church."
The passage in Rev. 12 is a good example: the imagery refers simultaneously to Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, and to the Church.
It is not at all unusual for Biblical imagery to apply to multiple references: often past, present and future, as well as both individual and collective.
Mystical uh huh . . if you say so
Christ gave her to his disciple John to be his mother;
Whoa, back up the truck. John was already Marys son. John and Jesus were half-brothers through Mary.
so all disciples find her their own.
Nowhere does the Bible say that. They all had their own mothers.