1 Peter 5:14 Commentary and Bible Study

Love between all members of the church must be expressed, and Peter urges the Christians of his day to show this love through a kiss which was the normal expression of friendship in the society of that day. The church had taken this gesture and made it a sincere token of that love which is appropriate between those who belong to Christ and look forward to inhabiting eternity together. It was of course a ‘holy kiss’ (1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26), which meant that it was to be free from all hint of uncleanness. It is a gesture which must bear in mind the culture of the day, and in English culture it is restricted to family members, or else between female friends. Admittedly, more recent trends have experimented with boundaries and made the kiss a social greeting across the sexes, but this behaviour is associated with worldly trends and is something that Christians should avoid; it has probably arisen in European circles in France. It is certainly not part of English culture for men to kiss as a greeting. More normal in England has been the handshake or some expression of warmth which corresponds well to what Peter refers to here. However movements of population have brought their cultures with them and there are parts of the world where kissing between the sexes and even between males is considered quite normal. This kissing is however invariably on the cheek or even in the air, and not on the lips. In general those who move to another land should recognise the culture that already exists in the land of their settlement and, out of respect, not try to change it.For Peter the important point is that there must be sincere love between believers, however that is expressed. Love will cause them to care for each other’s needs in a practical way, and in the context of suffering to comfort each other with the only comfort that has any power to help: the comfort of the Lord as given in Holy Scripture.‘Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus’: peace with God, and peace with one another. Problems arise; offences are committed; sins committed, but forgiveness must be sought and freely given. We must be peacemakers. Peace is the gift of God to all who are in Christ Jesus. It is a peace which is without measure, being given for all eternity and which reconciles us to the infinite, eternal and unchangeable God. Nothing in him will ever again be against us, and soon all troubles of this present life will have been taken away. Christ is our peace and he gives us his peace, so that we can look beyond our present hardships and rest in him.