Not Misrepresenting the Holy Kiss
8/26 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 18; Romans 16; Lamentation 3; Psalm 34
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
8/26 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 18; Romans 16; Lamentation 3; Psalm 34
Romans 16:16
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
GREETING
The first century kiss is not a complex thing, though it is filled with many layers of meaning. If you will, it was the “handshake” of the orient from days of old; yet much more, biblically speaking. It signified fellowship, honor, and love. This greeting was perverted by men of guile to betray and murder another. While greeting Amasa with a kiss, Joab committed murder (2 Sam 20:9). Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord Jesus with a kiss (Matt 26:48-49), effectively placing Christ into the hands of murderous men. The first use of the Hebrew word “kiss” is when a blind Isaac invites a disguised Jacob into his tent to give him a blessing:
“Come near and kiss me, my son.” Genesis 27:26
This verse gives us an understanding of the more famous verse involving a kiss and the Messiah:
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. Psalm 2:12
As Jacob received the blessing from his father, one greater than he, we are invited to receive a blessing from the One greater than we. In Psalm 2, the repercussions of not doing so are eternally calamitous. Because we have kissed the Son, receiving His blessing of eternal life given to all those who trust in His atoning sacrifice, we have been given a blessing in greeting one another that, if done in the love for Christ, is delivered to the believers in the love of Christ. The apostle had already told us that our love must be genuine (Rom 12:9), and that we must love one another with brotherly affection; and we must exercise this by…
…outdoing one another in showing honor [to one another]. Romans 12:10
In another letter, Paul tells us:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3
The local church, the fellowship to which you are, or I am, attached is a blessing in countless ways. One of them, by God’s grace, is it helps to keep us humble before the Lord each time we meet one another and greet each other. May we meet in Christ as often as is possible and practical, that we may greet one another to honor Jesus, and one another. Hallelujah! What a Savior!