Verse 20
The holy kiss, holy because saints (1 Corinthians 1:2) exchanged it, was a common practice among believers, and it still is today in some parts of the world.
"The holy kiss (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:12; Romans 16:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:25 [sic, 26]; 1 Peter 5:14) was primarily a symbolic expression of the love, forgiveness, and unity which should exist among Christians. As such, it became associated with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper as a prelude to its observance (cf. Justin Apology 1. 65. 2). It was a mark of the familial bond which united believers. There is no indication that it was restricted to one’s own sex in the New Testament era (cf. Luke 7:37; Luke 7:45). The suggestion to separate the sexes for the exchange of the kiss arose in the late second century due to concern about criticism from non-Christians and the danger of erotic abuse (cf. Athenagorus Supplication 32; Clement of Alexandria Pedagogue 3. 81. 2-4)." [Note: Lowery, "1 Corinthians," p. 548.]
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