Greet One Another With A Holy Kiss!

1 Thessalonians 5:26
Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.

Romans 16:16
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the churches of Christ send greetings.

2 Corinthians 13:12
Greet one another with a holy kiss.

What does it mean to greet one another with a holy kiss? Was this a real kiss or something with a spiritual meaning? Was it a real kiss? What does it mean to us to greet one another with a holy kiss?

The biggest challenge with this text is reading it from a setting where kissing is not common and is limited to private intimate activities. For communities where kissing in public is a taboo, this is a difficult text. For communities where kissing is an unwelcome public display of affection, this text is difficult to interpret. In situations where even loved ones are not kissed, how do you imagine kissing random people in the church? Greet one another with a holy kiss!

The communities to whom Paul wrote these instructions were used to greeting each other by kissing. Therefore the instructions were not strange or unusual. Men would kiss men and women would kiss women. It was a sign of love, affection, and warm reception. Therefore as non-kissing communities get shocked, the original recipients of this information and the kissing communities see no big deal. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

Matthew 26:49
Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

Judas betrayed Jesus by kissing him. Kissing was a sign of respect and love. Yet he did this to point out to the enemies who should be captured. Kissing wasn’t unusual that is why Judas did it in public as a routine practice when people who know each meet. Therefore Apostle Paul’s instructions were not unusual to his recipients. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

Luke 15:20
So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The father of the prodigal son kissed him to welcome him back home. If he hadn’t kissed him, he wouldn’t be truly welcome. True affection and warm welcome were only through kissing. Where there was no kissing, there would be suspicion and tension on whether one is really welcome. Church members needed to show each other affection and hospitality, they were therefore instructed to express it. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

A kiss could easily degenerate into either an unwelcome sexual advance or a hypocritical show. Therefore Apostle Paul clarifies that it should be a holy kiss. Holy in the sense that it should be genuine affection. Holy in the sense that the intentions should not be immoral. Holy also means that it should be acceptable before God before whom nothing is hidden. God knows when there are immoral connotations or when the affection is fake. The love and warmth we show each other should be pure and genuine. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

Most important therefore is not the kissing but the meaning of the kiss. Communities that do not greet by kissing don’t have to kiss but express genuine and pure affection for each other that is acceptable before God. Communities that greet by kissing should do it in a holy way, genuine, pure, acceptable before an all-knowing God. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

The Apostle’s command should also be seen from the light of reminding people to express love for each other and genuine care and concern. Love should not be seen as a theory but a practicable thing. Love should not be what we say, teach, preach, and believe, it should be what we do. Love should not be heard from us, it should be seen in our interactions. Therefore the Apostle commanded the church to always greet each other with a holy kiss!

Jesus said that the world will know that we are His disciples if we love one another, see John 13:35. Not if we preach and teach true doctrine, but when we love one another. It is easy to theorize. It is easy to pontificate. It is easy to lecture to others and proclaim love. However, it is much tougher and demanding to express love practically to each other. Therefore this simple command is a command to express love for each other and by it win people to Christ. By loving each other we evangelize. People read love stories, people enjoy love gossip, people love to watch love stories…because love attracts. If Christians love each other, if the church is made of people who love each other, they will attract non-believers without having to read texts, cite verses, history, etc. Our greatest shortage is not lack of knowledge but a lack of love amongst us. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

Who will be attracted to a church that has leadership wrangles in the media? Who will be attracted to a community of believers who cannot resolve property ownership issues? Who will be attracted to a church whose honorable men are seen cursing and castigating other leaders in a press statement? Who will be attracted to a community of believers that is as corrupt as the rot in government? Who will be attracted to a church whose members buy pages in daily papers in order to embarrass each other and embarrass the church? Who will be attracted to a church whose members lack sense and will discuss the negatives of their own community on social media for the potential converts to be discouraged from joining? Our love for each other wouldn’t allow this careless negative publicity. It is a lack of love, therefore we deserve the Apostle’s prescription. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

Greet also refers to the time when people meet. Whenever you meet or come together, do not be hostile to each other, do not be cold and calculating, be warm and loving. Do it genuinely. God is not pleased with His people operating in toxic environments of hate and seeking opportunities to finish each other. God does not want us operating in the tension of unresolved issues. God does not want a situation where unwritten competition is the underlying motive making it difficult to transact simple business. God wants genuine and pure love expressed whenever we come together. Hence this command. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

Greet one another, yes, one another. While it is a church command, it has to happen on a personal level. One another. One member to another. It cannot happen to the church unless it happens to individuals. The holy kiss should be at personal level and that will influence the whole church. The holy kiss should be between spouses, friends, parents and children, leaders, neighbors, etc. This command is to each one of us directly. Greet one another with a holy kiss!

May God enable us to live, study, and work with people and in communities where we greet each other with a holy kiss. May God save us from situations and keep us safe in circumstances where there is no holy kiss. May the holy kiss be our way of life, in Jesus’ name, Amen!