Greet One One Another with a Holy kiss
Five times the New Testament commands believers to greet one another with a holy kiss.
“Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Rom. 16:16).
“Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Cor. 16:20b).
“Greet one another with a holy kiss” (2 Cor. 13:12).
“Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss” (1 Thess. 5:26).
“Greet one another with a kiss of love” (1 Pet. 5:14).
Notice: greet all the brethren with a holy kiss of love.
Today we greet one another with a spoken word (“Hi, how are you?”), with a handshake, and with a brief embrace. In the ancient world, a common form of greeting was for men to kiss men and women to kiss women on the cheek (Lk. 7:45). The custom did not originate with Christians. It was practiced in the synagogues. It is still the standard form of greeting in many countries today. The kiss was to be holy. There are no romantic overtones. A“holy hug,” that is, a genuine expression of brotherly love, is closer to the ancient practice than a handshake. The point is that when believers gather, they are not to ignore or avoid one
another. They are to warmly and affectionately greet one another.
At the end of their first date, a young man in a bygone era took his favorite girl home. He decided to try for that important first kiss. With an air of confidence, he leaned his hand against the wall, smiled, and said, “How about a good night kiss?”
“Are you crazy?” she said. “My parents will see us!”
“Oh, come on! Who’s gonna see us at this hour?”
“No, please. Can you imagine if we get caught?”
“Come on, they’re all sleeping!”
“No way. It’s too risky!”
“Please, please, please. I like you so much.”
“No, no, no. I like you too, but I just can’t!”
“Oh yes you can. Please?”
“No, no. I just can’t.”
“Pleeeeease?…”
Then to their surprise, the porch light went on, the door opened, and there stood the girl’s sister, hair disheveled, in her pajamas. In a sleepy voice she said, “Dad says to go ahead and give him a kiss. Or I can do it. If need be, dad will come down himself and do it. Whatever you do, tell your date to take his hand off the intercom button.”
Our heavenly Father approves of a holy kiss.
© 2013 G. Michael Cocoris 6/24/2013
“Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Rom. 16:16).
“Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Cor. 16:20b).
“Greet one another with a holy kiss” (2 Cor. 13:12).
“Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss” (1 Thess. 5:26).
“Greet one another with a kiss of love” (1 Pet. 5:14).
Notice: greet all the brethren with a holy kiss of love.
Today we greet one another with a spoken word (“Hi, how are you?”), with a handshake, and with a brief embrace. In the ancient world, a common form of greeting was for men to kiss men and women to kiss women on the cheek (Lk. 7:45). The custom did not originate with Christians. It was practiced in the synagogues. It is still the standard form of greeting in many countries today. The kiss was to be holy. There are no romantic overtones. A“holy hug,” that is, a genuine expression of brotherly love, is closer to the ancient practice than a handshake. The point is that when believers gather, they are not to ignore or avoid one
another. They are to warmly and affectionately greet one another.
At the end of their first date, a young man in a bygone era took his favorite girl home. He decided to try for that important first kiss. With an air of confidence, he leaned his hand against the wall, smiled, and said, “How about a good night kiss?”
“Are you crazy?” she said. “My parents will see us!”
“Oh, come on! Who’s gonna see us at this hour?”
“No, please. Can you imagine if we get caught?”
“Come on, they’re all sleeping!”
“No way. It’s too risky!”
“Please, please, please. I like you so much.”
“No, no, no. I like you too, but I just can’t!”
“Oh yes you can. Please?”
“No, no. I just can’t.”
“Pleeeeease?…”
Then to their surprise, the porch light went on, the door opened, and there stood the girl’s sister, hair disheveled, in her pajamas. In a sleepy voice she said, “Dad says to go ahead and give him a kiss. Or I can do it. If need be, dad will come down himself and do it. Whatever you do, tell your date to take his hand off the intercom button.”
Our heavenly Father approves of a holy kiss.
© 2013 G. Michael Cocoris 6/24/2013