Kiss (5370) (philema from phileo = to be a friend to, to be fond of an individual or an object, to have affection for and sometimes to kiss as a mark of tenderness) refers to a kiss as a token of love or friendship. The holy kiss in the first century was a physical toke of welcome or farewell. Such physical expression was normal among the same sex. Thayer notes that philema was.... the kiss with which, as a sign of fraternal affection, Christians were accustomed to welcome or dismiss their companions in the faith. Here are all the Scriptural uses of philema... Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses (LXX) of an enemy. Song of Solomon 1:2 "May he kiss me with the kisses (LXX) of his mouth! For your love is better than wine. Luke 7:45 "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. Luke 22:48 But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Romans 16:16 (note) Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. 1 Corinthians 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 2 Corinthians 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 1 Thessalonians 5:26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 1 Peter 5:14 (note) Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ. Wanamaker notes that... The kiss in the ancient world had a variety of functions both within the family and outside it. Kisses were used to indicate love, respect, reconciliation, even the striking of a contract. They also played various roles in pagan cults. That Paul speaks of kissing all the brothers (probably kissing of the opposite sex was not encouraged—see Apostolic Constitutions 2.57.17 for evidence from the fourth century that probably reflects the practice from a much earlier time) suggests that the act had a family connotation for him. The community was part of the one family of God. (Wanamaker, C. A.. The Epistles to the Thessalonians: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids, Mich. Eerdmans) Pfeiffer writes that... Its character was completely divorced from the sensual. A pure display of the deep emotion of Christian love, this type of kiss remained a Christian custom until abuse and heathen misunderstanding caused the practice to be curtailed. (Pfeiffer, C F: Wycliffe Bible Commentary. 1981. Moody or Logos) Frame writes that... In the ancient world one kissed the hand, breast, knee, or foot of a superior, and the cheek of a friend. Herodotus (I, 134) mentions kissing the lips as a custom of the Persians. Possibly from them it came to the Jews (Frame, J. E.. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. New York: C. Scribner's Sons. 1912) Why holy? So that there might be nothing suggestive, untoward or profane about the kiss. It signified personal affection but not romantic passion. The holy kiss was on the cheek and not on the lips. Public affection among brothers and sisters in Christ is natural, as we all belong to the same family. John Bunyan in Grace Abounding wrote that... Some indeed have urged the holy kiss, but then I have asked why they made baulks? Why did they salute the most handsome and let the ill-favoured go? Thus how laudable soever such things have been in the eyes of others, they have been unseemly in my sight. James Denney explains that... The kiss was the ordinary greeting among members of a family; brothers and sisters kissed each other when they met, especially after long separation; even among those who were no kin to each other, but only on friendly terms, it was common enough, and answered to our shaking of hands. In the Church the kiss was the pledge of brotherhood; those who exchanged it declared themselves members of one family. When the Apostle says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss,” he means, as holy always does in the New Testament, a Christian kiss; a greeting not of natural affection, nor of social courtesy merely, but recognising the unity of all members of the Church in Christ Jesus, and expressing pure Christian love... “Greet one another with a holy kiss” means, Show your Christian love one to another, frankly and heartily, in the way which comes natural to you. Do not be afraid to break the ice when you come into the church. There should be no ice there to break. Greet your brother or your sister cordially and like a Christian: assume and create the atmosphere of home. (Classic Commentary Collection. See AGES Software for their full selection of highly recommended resources) Spurgeon sums up Paul's injunction suggesting that we are to... Give one another a hearty shake of the hands. That is the western interpretation of the eastern form. Outward forms differ. The inward sense abides the same. Let brotherly love continue in a hearty friendliness among yourselves. ><> ><> ><> In his devotional Morning and Evening, Spurgeon writes... This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader's memory upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our work is solemnly momentous, involving weal or woe to thousands; we treat with souls for God on eternal business, and our word is either a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon us, and it will be no small mercy if at the last we be found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ's army, we are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for our halting, and labour to take us by the heels. Our sacred calling involves us in temptations from which you are exempt, above all it too often draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are at a non plus; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see millions perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God. Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are we if we live in your supplications. You do not look to us but to our Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that we may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. We, the whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US 1Thessalonians 5:27 I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren (NASB: Lockman) Greek: Enorkizo (1SPAI) humas ton kurion anagnosthenai (APN) ten epistolen pasin tois adelphois Amplified: I solemnly charge you [in the name of] the Lord to have this letter read before all the brethren. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) Milligan: As regards this letter I charge that it be read aloud to all the Brothers. (St. Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians. 1908) NLT: command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the Christians. (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: God's command, which I give you now, is that this letter should be read to all the brothers. (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: I adjure you by the Lord that the [foregoing] letter be read to all the brethren. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: I charge you by the Lord, that the letter be read to all the holy brethren; I ADJURE YOU BY THE LORD TO HAVE THIS LETTER READ TO ALL THE BRETHREN: Enorkizo (1SPAI) humas ton kurion anagnosthenai (APN) ten epistolen pasin tois adelphois: (1Th 2:11; Numbers 27:23; 1Kings 22:16; 2Chronicles 18:15; Matthew 26:63; Mark 5:7; Acts 19:13; 1Timothy 1:3,18; 5:7,21; 6:13,17; 2Timothy 4:1) (Colossians 4:16; 2Thessalonians 3:14 ) (Hebrews 3:1) I - The singular pronoun is used only 3 times in this letter, in this verse, 1Th 2:18-note and 1Th 3:5-note and emphasizes that this is Paul's personal strong desire (adjure implies more than just a suggestion as discussed below) for the Thessalonians. Calvin comments that... there will always be found some who say that it is of no advantage to publish generally things that otherwise they recognize as very excellent. At least, whatever artifice or pretext Satan may have at that time contrived, in order that the Epistle might not come to the knowledge of all, we may gather from Paul’s words with what earnestness and keenness he sets himself in opposition to it. For it is no light or frivolous thing to adjure by the name of God. (1 Thessalonians 5 )