Greet with a Holy Kiss 1 Thessalonians 5:26

Paul the apostle had almost completed his first letter to the Thessalonian church members when he told them God would “sanctify” them “wholly”, and he prayed that “God” would “preserve” them “blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” in both “body and soul and spirit”. He proclaimed that God is “faithful” and would “do” that to which he called them. In chapter five and verse twenty-six, Paul encourages the Thessalonians to “Greet” one another “with a holy kiss” where we read:

Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

The verse begins, “Greet all the brethren...” Paul began with the word, “Greet” which means “salute, bid welcome, wish well to and receive joyfully” “all” or “each, every, any, all, the whole and everyone of” “the brethren” which refers to “a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother and a fellow believer who is united to another by the bond of affection”. Paul desired for the “brothers” and sisters in Christ to “welcome” and “wish well” one another when they met in the church.

The verse goes on to say, “... with a holy kiss.” Paul added, “with a holy” or “most sacred, physically pure, morally blameless and religiously and ceremonially consecrated” “kiss” which means “a fraternal sign of affection which was used to welcome or dismiss their companions in the faith”. This custom of a “holy kiss” was to be expressed when the Thessalonians “welcomed” and “said goodbye” to one another.

When we think through these words of Paul, depending upon our culture, we may think this an odd way to greet and dismiss one another. The main idea is to “welcome” and “receive” each other as they came into contact in the church. They were to “value” one another and express this through their greeting. Too often people enter a church, are never “greeted” by anyone, and leave without any acknowledgment at all. When people are of great importance, they are “greeted”, made over, and given much attention, and this is the idea of the “holy kiss”. Today we might use “a holy handshake” or “holy hug”, and though our expression of care, love and value might differ than this “holy kiss”, it should never be “ignoring” or “shunning”. May the Lord Jesus help us to be better “greeters”, and when we “welcome” one another in the church, may a “holy” expression of our care be given to everyone we see.

Next time Paul tells the Thessalonians to read this letter to “all the holy brethren”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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