A Holy Kiss

Editor’s Note: Somehow when the NT reading plan was put together, 1 Corinthians 16 was left out! Below is a “bonus post” to make sure we complete all the chapters of 1 Corinthians.

After tackling difficult questions about topics like proper worship, immorality, and the resurrection, Paul turns to more personal matters as he closes out his letter to the Corinthian church. First, he talks about practical matters related to a contribution being gathered for the Jerusalem church and the various travel plans of the leaders and messengers to and from Corinth. Paul intended to visit Corinth himself while traveling through Macedonia on his journey to “wherever I go” (v. 6), but in the meantime, he called on them to treat Timothy well before he returned to Paul in Ephesus, and told them how he had urged Apollos to return to them but that Apollos was unwilling, maybe because he was occupied with the same “great door for effective work” that had opened up to Paul in Ephesus (v. 9). Paul wanted them to know how much he appreciated their support and those who had served as messengers in bringing it to him (v. 15-18), and that the leaders were thinking about and planning for them as a body of believers in Corinth.

In his final greetings (v. 19-24) he mentions Aquila and Priscilla, who Paul had met in Corinth and brought to Ephesus. He mentions that they send warm greetings, along with greetings from all of the brothers and sisters in the church in Ephesus. The sense of love is strong – it is perhaps the main central theme of the letter (Chapter 13) and among his final words of the letter, he writes in v. 24 “My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen” (NIV). He also asked them to greet one another with a “holy kiss” (v. 20).

With all of the problems, questions, and struggles in the Corinthian church, Paul’s overall message was to love one another. Like the church in Corinth, our congregation is far from perfect, with challenges all around us and among us, like social injustice issues, isolation from the pandemic, varying thoughts on roles of men and women, along with more personal issues like forgiving a brother or sister who we feel wronged us. However, as we share our love for one another in Christ Jesus, as Paul did in his final words to the church in Corinth, may we also give one another a “holy kiss” of sharing our affection, joy, and love for one another.

How can you give a brother or sister a “holy kiss” of encouragement today?