¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³All the saints greet you. ¹⁴The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Young believers focus with great interest on this admonishment to “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” Virtually all commentators point out that this saying in Paul’s final greeting is a cultural practice, normative in the ancient world, and that we should find a comparative practice to show our affection. We might point out that if it were indeed normative, then Paul would not need to give this instruction. Certainly the Corinthians would need a reminder to show affection to one another.

We leave it to others to deal with the hermeneutical issues that this passage raises as it relates to other cultural practices mandated in Scripture. Suffice it that we ask how we might show appropriate affection today in our cultural situations. In some cultures, Christians greet each other with a hug or a firm handshake. Some indeed use a “holy kiss.” Some have seen in this a holistic aspect of our warm fellowship with each other that is reflected in our physical interaction with each other. This is something that can be done in person.

This warmth of greetings is extended by Paul on behalf of “all the saints.” Remembering that he called the Corinthians “saints” (1 Cor. 1:2), this is simply now a reference to Paul’s companions or the Christians at the church where he was ministering while writing the Corinthians, most likely in the region of Macedonia (perhaps either the church at Philippi or Thessalonica). In Paul’s thinking, while each local congregation is autonomous and directly under God’s authority, with no direct accountability to a centralized or denominational headquarters, there is clearly an interconnectedness. The rise of hierarchical leadership with bishops and denominations came much later and is neither taught nor evidenced in Scripture. But all the churches were in fellowship with each other, and Paul encouraged this, as did the other apostles. The Christians at Philippi and Thessalonica were interested in what was happening in Corinth and were eager to convey their greetings.

Finally, Paul finishes with his signature trademark. He begins every one of his thirteen letters by extending grace to his readers: “Grace to you … from God our Father,” and he ends his letters with his desire for them to experience the ongoing blessing of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. With grace, he desires for them the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, may this be our experience: the grace, love, and fellowship of the triune God.