Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

1 Peter 5:14

1 Peter 5:14. Salute one another with (or, by means of) a kiss of love. What Peter speaks of here as the ‘kiss of love' is always spoken of by Paul as the ‘holy kiss' (Rom 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26). The Christian Fathers, too, speak of it as the ‘kiss of peace,' or the ‘kiss in the Lord.' The practice of saluting with a kiss was as common in the ancient East, and specially among the Jews, as is the custom of saluting with hand-shaking in the modern West. This gave rise to the Christian practice, which was a token of brotherly love, and had ‘the specific character of Christian consecration' (see Meyer on 1 Corinthians 16:20). These remarks of Richard Hooker on apostolic practices which are not to be held binding, are worth notice: ‘Whereas it is the error of the common multitude to consider only what hath been of old, and if the same were well, to see whether it still continue; if not, to condemn that presently which is, and never to search upon what ground or consideration the change might grow; such rudeness cannot be in you so well borne with, whom learning and judgment hath enabled more soundly to discern how far the times of the Church and the orders thereof may alter without offence. True it is, the ancienter, the better ceremonies of religion are; howbeit, not absolutely true and without exception; but true only so far forth as those different ages do agree in the state of those things, for which at the first those rites, orders, and ceremonies were instituted. In the Apostles' times that was harmless, which being now revived would be scandalous; as their oscula sancta. Those feasts of charity, which being instituted by the Apostles, were retained in the Church long after, are not now thought anywhere needful' (Eccl. Polity, Pref ace, iv. 4).

Peace to you all that are in Christ. The closing words ‘in Christ' (which reading must be accepted instead of the ‘in Christ Jesus' of the A. V.) are peculiarly Pauline in tone. Paul himself, however, is not in the habit of defining the subjects of his benedictions by that phrase, although it is elsewhere in frequent use by him. The benediction itself somewhat resembles that in Ephesians 6:24. Elsewhere Paul usually gives ‘grace' where Peter has ‘peace' here. The ‘Amen' of the A. V. is insufficiently supported.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

1 Peter 5:14

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