The Holy Kiss
by Hunter Irvine
Student at Colorado Christian University
Submitted to Dr. Windy Petrie
in partial fulfillment of English 104: Research Writing
April 19, 2010
At many wedding ceremonies, the minister concludes with the long anticipated final statement, “You may kiss the bride,” and then the newlyweds share a romantic kiss. Rather than a kiss expressing romantic love, this examination will center on a “holy kiss.” “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Romans 16:16 NIV), is stated by Paul four times, in his epistles, general letters, to Christians, including in Romans 16:16, I Corinthians 16:20, II Corinthians 13:12, and, with a small variance, in I Thessalonians 5:26. Peter tells people to whom he wrote his letter to greet one another with a “kiss of love” (I Peter 5:14).
Evidence will display the practice of holy kissing during the course of the past two thousand years. Then I will present my conviction the “holy kiss” springs from the root of the sacrificial love of Jesus, the distinguishing factor that separates a “holy kiss” from any other type of kiss. Finally, I will give an explanation why no one must give the “holy kiss” today, yet then I will advocate the love of Jesus should continue to be expressed by followers of Jesus today in appropriate manners.
Though Israel was influenced by the Greek culture in the wake of conquest by Alexander, and was influenced by Roman culture in the wake of conquest by that Empire, realize the root culture of Judea was "oriental," as was the culture of Judea’s neighbors. And the norm in the oriental culture was to greet acquaintances with a kiss on both cheeks, as a means of showing brotherly and sisterly love, friendship affection, or simply respect.
There are examples of such action early on in Israel’s history, such as when David and Jonathan kiss in I Samuel 20:41. The event of Jesus attending a dinner as the guest of a Pharisee named Simon shows how the practice of a kiss was expected by a guest who was welcomed into a house two thousand years ago in Judea. In response to Simon’s remarks about the action of a woman in the house, Jesus told Simon, “…I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss…” (Luke 7:44-45). Even in the twentieth century, cheek to cheek kissing was a common greeting in Israel. The greeter would kiss the right and then the left cheek. Such an observation was recorded in a book by Fred Wight in 1953. (1)
The encouragement was given in Scripture to greet with a “holy kiss,” and disciples of Jesus did so. Record of Christians engaging in the “holy kiss” during corporate worship continued through the centuries. Justin Martyr, the prolific early Christian writer, who lived approximately from 114 A.D. to 165 A.D. stated, “Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss.” (2)
Another prolific writer, Tertullian, lived in the second and third century, and he strongly advocated the “holy kiss!” The eclectic disciple of Christ, Origen, discussed the “holy kiss” practice in his writings on Romans. Thascius Cyprian accepted Christ in 246 A.D. and later became the bishop of Carthage. His writing reveals that he gave “holy kisses.” Clement of Alexandria and Athenagoras are others who mentioned such kissing in the early centuries, and as time went on, the subject was addressed by Christians such as Augustine and St. John Chrysostom.
A key aspect of kissing in the early church that distinguished the “holy kiss” from a cultural greeting was that the “holy kiss” took place between people of both genders. Yet it probably matched the cultural greeting as a kiss on both cheeks. Tertullian even expressed the challenge of a Christian woman kissing her brothers-in-Christ if her husband was not a Christian, obviously understanding that the husband would likely not understand or be happy with such kissing by his Christian wife.
The “holy kiss” was swiftly embedded in corporate Christian worship, but the expansion of worship services brought rise to accusations against Christians by people who were not Christians. We know much about these accusations, because some educated Christians responded to the accusers with written defenses of Christianity and Christian practices. The word “apology” used by Christians throughout the centuries did not have the common current definition of saying sorry for a wrongdoing, rather the word “apology” had the definition of giving an explanation. One accusation against Christians was that they employed themselves in sexual orgies during “love feasts,” which was plainly stated by the scholar Dr. Alfred Plummer in 1913. (3) The “holy kiss” was obviously the base for this lie.
Another challenge arose as there were an increasing number of people who were not Christians who were attending Christian worship services, who engaged in the kissing for sexual stimulation. Two scholars, Dr. William Smith and Professor Samuel Cheetham, edited A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities in 1880, and they offered to Christian academics a premier source of information on the history of the “holy kiss.” Their incredible history explains that the giving of the “holy kiss” was given freely among both genders until restrictions were implemented due to abuses by “false brethren.” (4)
Yet remaining in accord with the Oriental culture, the practice of holy kissing in churches in the ‘East’ continued in many Christian churches into modern times. In the ‘West,’ the practice continued until the thirteen century. Around that time, the “holy kiss” was substituted with the “osculatorium,” (5) which at first was an image of a crucifix, which was handed around for people to kiss.
With a brief history of the “holy kiss’ presented, a question results: What makes the “holy kiss” holy? The holiness of Jesus makes the kiss holy, with the sacrificial love of Jesus as the root of the “holy kiss.” Prepare for the presentation of evidence to support my conviction that the “holy kiss” is rooted in the sacrificial love of Jesus. Secondly, the attribute of the holiness of Jesus will be presented.
Passover is a key concept in bringing us to the sacrifice of Jesus. Paul stated, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (I Corinthians 5:7). And what was the motivation of the sacrifice? John 3:16 makes it clear the motivation of the sacrifice was love. Jesus died on a cross because He loved people. These biblical facts lead to my proposal that as kissing was done in joy following the sacrifice done by Israelites after the Passover lambs were slain, kissing was all the more done by followers of Jesus out of the joy in the love received from Jesus who was the perfect sacrifice on the cross.
Now Passover lambs were to be slaughtered by people in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:5-6). Rather than the sacrifice of a single lamb in the Temple, as is popular opinion, each household was suppose to slaughter a lamb, a command logically evident from Deuteronomy 16:7, where the people are told to roast the lamb and to eat it. Since everyone was eating, the slaying of numerous lambs was necessary. This was the Passover prescription of the Torah. Note that today there are a number of people who are Jewish who celebrate the Passover engaging in a completely different ceremony, which was developed in the 10th century, and which does not even involve a lamb.
Because of the changes which have taken place surrounding the Passover through the centuries, I must piece together evidence relating to the Passover and kissing. The Passover around the time of Christ was celebrated by family units or groups of friends all over Jerusalem, and possibly not at all in synagogues. Yet kissing in a religious context would help support kissing at a celebration commanded in the Mosaic Law.
In the academic extraordinaire publication The Expositor, Professor F.C. Conybeare of Oxford wrote a ground breaking piece for modern scholarship in 1894. Professor F.C. Conybeare illuminated two pieces of writing from “Quaestiones in Exodum,” a writing fragment of Philo which has been preserved. The language of the piece was Armenian, yet Professor Conybeare, proficient in Greek, also knew Latin and Armenian.
In Sermo ii., s 118, Philo uses the phrase “the kiss of love.” (6) Now Professor Conybeare refers to this phrase as a “metaphor,” and Philo was not making a direct statement that this kiss was carried out in synagogues. Yet Professor Conybeare had the conviction that such usage of that phrase implied that such kissing was done in a “formal and ceremonial use.” (7) The possibility of Jewish people kissing in a Judeo religious context during the first century offers indirect support of kissing done at the Passover.
Now examining more direct evidence: Kissing took place in the early 1900's in Samaria during the Passover celebration observed by Samaritans. Numerous scholars state that Jewish people did not like Samaritans in the first century. The province of Samaria had been part of the northern kingdom of Israel before Israel was conquered by Assyria around 722 B.C. “…In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria” (2 Kings 17:6). Such deportation of citizens was typical of Assyrian conquering strategy, and then the king transported people from other countries to settle in the area of Samaria, as revealed in 2 Kings 17:24. Thus Hebrews who lived in the land of Judea may have resented people of other ethnic groups living in their former land.
But one act by the Assyrian king put the Samaritans on a path to adopting some Jewish religious practices. The king of Samaria sent an Israelite priest to teach the Samaritans about the covenantal practices of worship prescribed by God as recorded in the Mosaic Law. Though the Samaritans at first were still devoted to their false gods, they did learn about Israelite precepts from the Torah within the covenant between God and the Jewish people.
This all leads to the first hand observation by Dr. Warren Moulton of traditional Samaritan celebration of the Passover on Mount Gerizim in 1903. In his fascinating article published in the Journal of Biblical Literature, Dr. Moulton recorded a detailed account of the entire event. That event involved the killing of lambs, which was followed by giving kisses: “When the lambs had been slain the congregation exchanged joyful greetings after the usual oriental manner, falling with a kiss first on the right and then on the left shoulder…” (8) A key to Dr. Moulton’s observation lies in the fact that the kiss was a response of “joy” that the sacrifice had been made. Note that the sacrificing of lambs is still done today for the Passover on Mount Gerizim! Pictures, which I downloaded, were posted on a website for all to see of the Passover in 2007. In one of the pictures, you can see some men embracing one another, and two men are apparently given the “holy kiss,” right here in the 21st century.
Thirdly, though far removed from the time of Christ, and though done in conjunction with the utterly different contemporary Passover practice in contrast with the Passover requirements of the Torah, kissing is done by some people who are of Jewish ethnicity at the Passover event today. Could this practice have been preserved in spite of all of the changes that have taken place in the worldwide Jewish community’s adherence to the Passover celebration?
In an article published in The Jewish Magazine in 2006, Shirley Coles, a Jewish woman, told about experiencing Passover with her family. Kissing was a part of the evening! “…despite all efforts to protect one’s face, [Grandma] would pounce on the hapless victim, grab both cheeks, pinch mightily as she kissed so loudly that we feared being inhaled.” (9) This confirms that in this day kissing takes place for some who engage in the Passover feast.
How frequently in biblical exposition do we hear of the kiss that Judas Iscariot gave Jesus at the time of the Passover to betray Him. How exciting to learn of joyful kissing done in a religious Jewish context, both in the time of Philo and in the present day. And how noteworthy that a kiss was given after the sacrifice of the lambs by Samaritans who celebrated the Passover in a manner that fit Torah specifications, with the exception of the location.
Now what makes the “holy kiss” holy? How is the “holy kiss” distinguished from any other kiss? With the sacrificial love of Jesus as the root of the “holy kiss,” the holiness of Jesus makes the kiss holy. There is testimony in Scripture of the holiness of Jesus, such as when Peter states in John 6:69: “We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
The explanation in one commentary that the kiss was holy since it was “an act of family bonding in the Christian community,” (10) and the view in another commentary that the kiss was holy as it was a greeting between “brethren in Christ," both come short of a genuine explanation. (11) These views recognize the unique love within the family of Christ, however, what if a Christian gave a kiss of love to someone who was not a Christian? That would not negate the holiness. The context of the “holy kiss” does not determine the holiness, rather the true love the kiss expresses determines the holiness. And the love of Jesus, who is Holy, who is the Messiah, and who was sacrificed as the Passover Lamb of God, is true love.
Since the “holy kiss” was encouraged in Scripture, should we followers of Jesus partake in holy kissing today? I lead into this question first addressing what takes place today in various Christian churches around the world, as foreign as that may sound here in America. Christians in some Eastern Christian churches still practice the “holy kiss” in our day.
The “holy kiss” remains a part of the worship in a number of churches in some countries such as Kazakhstan. Colorado Christian University professor David Bosworth worshiped in a church in Kazakhstan where people gave a “holy kiss” during a worship service.
However, common during worship in this day in numerous Christian churches in America is an activity referred to as "The Peace,” or a ‘greeting.’ In the Anglican/Episcopal denomination, standard in the worship liturgy is “The Peace.” In a Rite II service, by far the most common Episcopal worship service, the priest states, “The peace of the Lord be always with you.” The congregation replies, “And also with you.” Then people in the congregation shake hands or hug, and many people say to one another, “Peace of the Lord,” “Peace,” or simply a standard greeting such as “Good morning.”
Similar greetings take place in churches of other denominations, and less formal greetings are common in numerous churches, including non-denominational churches. In the non-denominational church in the Denver, Colorado, metropolitan area, Windsor Gardens Community Church, where Dr. David Beckman was the lead pastor for a total of twenty years, in the midst of worship, instruction by the pastor comes during the service for the congregation to greet one another. People shake hands or hug, and say a standard greeting such as “Good morning,” or “Good to see you.”
Pertaining to our topic, I advocate that all of these activities during worship involving physical contact bonds the present with the past. Numerous hugs and handshakes are given. In the church where I am a member, I have given a countless number of hugs during this church worship greeting time over the past decade. And yes, there are even a few married couples who greet each other during ‘The Peace’ with a kiss. Such kissing is obviously a combination of a “holy kiss” and a romantic kiss.
‘The Peace’ and the ‘greeting,’ partaken of every Sunday in numerous churches in America is a remnant of the worship practice which involved the “holy kiss.” The designation ‘peace’ cries out as the link. Though Tertullian may not have personally designated the synonym name of the “kiss of peace” for the “holy kiss” and “kiss of love,” he is the earliest Christian writer found who used the former term in reference to the “holy kiss” and “kiss of love.” As time went on, the three terms became synonymous among Christians. Kissing may have been discontinued in most churches in the West in the 13th century, yet “The Peace” has continued on in different forms into our current age, involving mostly hugging or handshakes at the current time in the West.
Finally, should we holy kiss our brothers and sisters-in-Christ in churches right now? Peter and Paul said to do it as was identified at the beginning of this paper. What are we waiting for?
The classic book by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, can guide us. Not agreeing with everything he said in that long book, he gave some insights into the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ which were unprecedented in that century. Dr. Lloyd-Jones was a medical doctor who committed to Jesus in the early 1920's, and then became one of the most renowned preachers in Great Britain in the twentieth century.
In chapter Two, entitled ‘General View and Analysis,’ priceless advice for biblical interpretation is given. “The Christian, while he puts his emphasis upon the spirit, is also concerned about the letter. But he is not concerned only about the letter, and he must never consider the letter apart from the spirit.” (12) The bottom line: Bible interpretation involves not only semantics, but the message! “… I do feel constantly the need to warn myself and everybody else against becoming so immersed in the mechanics of Scripture that we miss its message.” (13)
Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives a explanation using the powerful example of playing Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata,’ an excellent illustration which highlights that a musician can fail to play a piece as the composer intended. Dr. Lloyd-Jones stated: “He was mechanically striking the right notes, but missing the soul and the real interpretation.” (14) Likewise, some people in history have done great damage as a result of interpreting the Bible with a sole focus on the semantics rather than extracting the message using sound hermeneutic principles. Fortunately, many people in history, have done eternal good gaining the message of Bible passages, and then sharing those messages with many, using sound hermeneutic principles.
So what are sound hermeneutic principles? Exegesis of a biblical passage is a principle. “Exegesis may be defined as the careful historical, literary, and theological analysis of a text.” (15)
And back to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, he gave two great principles: First, using my own language, he taught to take a verse in the context of the passage, and a passage in the context of the chapter, and the chapter in the context of the entire book, and the book in the context of all Scripture.
Second, he gave the principle I gave above, regarding gaining the spirit over the letter.
Lastly, I advocate a key principle: Studying Bible verses by the guidance of the Holy Spirit is essential. Jesus told His disciples, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:25-26). The apostles of Jesus needed guidance from the Holy Spirit, and the rest of His followers do likewise.
Having learned some history of the "holy kiss," even though there is little discussion of it in written Christian history, we can discern that the practice advocated by Paul and by Peter had a cultural foundation.
Having examined that kissing on the cheeks as a greeting was appropriate in the Middle Eastern culture in the time of Jesus, yet knowing that kissing is not a cultural greeting now in America, we can realize that abstaining from holy kissing is not immoral.
And applying the Dr. Lloyd-Jones first principle, get broader context, in examining the passages that call for a “holy kiss” or “kiss of love” to be given among Christians, we see these instructions were clearly not mandates of worship. Every single passage was stated among the personal greetings of the given apostle, and not in any sort of worship instruction, nor in a corporate church command.
Regarding the principle of guidance from the Holy Spirit, may we agree this leads to an understanding that trying to force people to give a greeting that would make them uncomfortable or ashamed is not a biblical command.
Yet the message for followers of Jesus to give one another a “holy kiss” or “kiss of love,” is applicable today. Applying these statements of Scripture, I extract the message that brothers and sisters-in-Christ are called to express love to one another, as Jesus commanded in John 15:12. In whatever manner is morally and culturally appropriate, we are to love, and to express love!
In the early 1990's when I was a new follower of Jesus, I attended worship at "The Falls Church," in Falls Church, Virginia. (Yes, that large city was named after that Anglican church.) When "The Peace" was given during the worship service, I was usually sitting with friends from the singles group of that church, "Salt and Light." We would all hug each other. As a new Christian, the expression of Christian love shown by that group was extra special to me. One reason is I was raised in a household where there was not much physical contact. Family members were rather verbal, yet hugging was an infrequent act in my family.
In 1985, my entire family took the trip with me down to Blacksburg to see me off there at the start of my freshman year at Virginia Tech. All these years later, I vividly recall hugging each of my family members just before they left my dorm room, since hugging them was so rare.
Thus all of the hugging done at The Falls Church during the worship service was relished by me.
Christians are totally relieved of any kissing obligations, yet expressions of brotherly and sisterly love are imperative.
Have you ever visited a new church where you felt lonely because no one came up to greet you? Visiting a church one Sunday, after the service I stood in the fellowship hall with a lemonade in hand. Every other person in that room was talking with someone else, and I did not even see anyone else look at me. Standing there for quite awhile after the service, I had a stinging desire for someone to greet me. I felt lonely. Quite unusual for social me. After continuing to stand by the refreshment table without any attention for what seemed like a long time, a woman finally did introduce herself and engaged in a conversation with me. I was so thankful.
And expressing the love of Jesus Christ is not simply about a brief greeting in church or in the fellowship hall. Expressing the love of Jesus involves interacting with brothers and sisters-in-Christ, and all people, in caring ways, using discernment as to the particular expression on that particular day.
May we followers of Jesus express the love of Jesus to everyone in a morally correct, culturally acceptable, and personally comfortable manner, even this day.
Hunter Irvine
Scripture Love Blog
(A personal statement: Dr. Windy Petrie's Research Writing class was one of the best college classes I have ever taken. I am grateful for her instruction!)
(Please note this posting of my CCU paper from my spring semester of 2010 is abbreviated. I removed some personal interviews with some fellow CCU students which were solely given for the purpose of my academic paper. Also, there was slight editing, including near the conclusion in order to offer a more personal completion.)
