“Greet one another
With a holy kiss!
All the churches
Of Christ greet you.”
ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς αἱ ἐκκλησίαι πᾶσαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Paul told the Roman Christians to greet one another (ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους) with a holy kiss (ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ). All the churches of Christ (αἱ ἐκκλησίαι πᾶσαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ) greeted them (ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς). This formula of Paul saying that they should greet one another with a holy kiss perhaps indicates the early use of the kiss of peace among the primitive Christian communities. At the same time. Paul pointed out that all the other Christian churches wanted to greet them. Perhaps as early as the mid-50s CE, the Christian church or the community churches in Rome had a predominance, much like the Christian church or communities in Jerusalem and Antioch. Certainly, Paul indicated a certain fraternity among these various emerging Christian communities or churches. How important is the church in your community?
