{"id":3450,"date":"2025-12-17T10:25:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T14:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/?p=3450"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:25:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T14:25:02","slug":"what-exactly-is-a-holy-kiss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/what-exactly-is-a-holy-kiss\/","title":{"rendered":"What exactly is a holy kiss?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Answer<\/span><\/p>\n

\nIn Romans 16:16, the apostle Paul gives a directive to \u201cgreet one another with a holy kiss.\u201d In this article, we will explore the early Christian custom of kissing one another and how present-day believers should comprehend and implement this directive.<\/p>\n

\nThere are various references in the New Testament to a \u201choly kiss\u201d (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26)<\/a>. Although the apostle Peter does not use the term \u201choly kiss,\u201d he instructs us to \u201cgreet one another with the kiss of love\u201d \u00abGreet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.\u00bb<\/em>, (1 Peter 5:14)<\/a>. In each case, the kiss is meant to be affectionate, holy, and sacred.<\/p>\n

\nDuring New Testament times and in the Near Eastern culture, a kiss was a customary way of greeting among family and close friends. A kiss, therefore, symbolized love, brotherly affection, and fellowship. Consequently, the directive to \u201cgreet one another with a holy kiss\u201d \u00abSalute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. \u00bb<\/em>, (Romans 16:16)<\/a> fostered a sense of unity and equality among believers. This is what Paul had in mind when he wrote that we should \u201cgrow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work\u201d (Ephesians 4:15-16)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nThe term holy in Romans 16:16 indicates that this kiss is distinct.<\/p>\n

It differs from romantic or sensual kisses. Instead, it embodies the love, purity, and sanctity of Christian fellowship: \u201cSet the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity\u201d \u00abLet no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. \u00bb<\/em>, (1 Timothy 4:12, ESV)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nOver the centuries, the practice of greeting one another with a holy kiss adapted to fit various cultural contexts. What remained constant, however, was the godly principle of mutual love and respect for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, the essence of Paul\u2019s instruction in Romans 16:16 is the expression of genuine and sincere affection, regardless of the form it takes: \u201cLet love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor\u201d (Romans 12:9-10;ESV)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nIn contemporary Christian communities, the practice of greeting one another with a holy kiss varies greatly. In Western churches, specifically, a kiss is often replaced with a handshake, hug, or head nod\u2014gestures that signify warmth and fellowship. In some Eastern Orthodox and Middle Eastern churches, however, the tradition of greeting one another with a literal kiss continues to be culturally appropriate.<\/p>\n

\nThe Bible offers guidance on adapting biblical practices to specific cultural contexts. In 1 Corinthians 9:22b, for example, Paul writes, \u201cI have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.\u201d Of course, the core message of the gospel should remain intact, but God allows us to interpret Romans 16:16 according to our cultural context.<\/p>\n

\nCultural and personal sensitivities are crucial in applying Romans 16:16. What is appropriate and comfortable in one culture may not be in another. The<\/p>\n

The key is to love one another in a way that respects individual comfort levels. As Paul says in Romans 14:19, \u201cLet us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual upbuilding\u201d (ESV).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Answer In Romans 16:16, the apostle Paul gives a directive to \u201cgreet one another with a holy kiss.\u201d In this article, we will explore the early Christian custom of kissing one another and how present-day believers should comprehend and implement this directive. There are various references in the New Testament to a \u201choly kiss\u201d (Romans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gotquestions"],"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/07\/Questions-about-the-Bible-ingles.jpg","featured_image_thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/07\/Questions-about-the-Bible-ingles-90x60.jpg","featured_image_medium":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/07\/Questions-about-the-Bible-ingles-300x157.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3450"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3450\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}