1 Peter 5:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how, while urging what must be fulfilled, he marks it with prayer, setting peace as the seal upon what has been set forth.

Whereas Paul writes that believers should greet one another with a holy kiss (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20), Peter says: Greet one another with a kiss of love. Yet the thought is the same in both.

Paul knows that love in the Lord is greater than all virtues, even martyrdom for Christ. Therefore he calls holy the kiss that is given in God. And when Peter speaks of the kiss of love, he means true love.

For this reason he adds: Peace to you all in Christ Jesus. He is not speaking of ordinary human peace. He wishes them to receive that peace with which Christ deemed them worthy when He was departing to His sufferings.

Paul commands them to greet one another with a holy kiss (1 Thess 5:26). Peter means the same thing when he says, “with a kiss of love.”

With a holy kiss, not with a hypocritical, deceitful, or impure one, such as Judas gave when he betrayed the Lord. Nor such as those give who speak peace with their neighbors, while evil is in their hearts (Ps 27:3). Therefore those greet one another with a holy kiss who love not in word or tongue, but in deed and truth (1 Jn 3:18).

“Peace to you all in Christ Jesus.” The Apostle begins his epistle with a wish for grace and peace. With this same blessing he also ends it.

Greet, kiss, with the kiss of love: cf. 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thess 5:26; Rom 16:16. The custom of the brotherly kiss was a common custom of that time. It was the reflection or seal of the love of those who kissed one another in the name of the Lord of love.

Whereas Paul writes that believers should greet one another with a holy kiss (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20), Peter says: Greet one another with a kiss of love. Yet the thought is the same in both.

Paul knows that love in the Lord is greater than all virtues, even martyrdom for Christ. Therefore he calls holy the kiss that is given in God. And when Peter speaks of the kiss of love, he means true love (Theophylact).

Saint Apostle Peter concludes his epistle with good wishes and greetings, both from himself personally and on behalf of the church chosen in Babylon and Mark, his son. The Apostle prays benevolently for his disciples: may the Lord perfect them, establish them, strengthen them, and ground them, that is, make them unshakable.

Sending a greeting from himself, the apostle Peter expresses the desire that all greet one another with a kiss as the highest sign of love; see Rom 16:16.

The apostle Peter ends his epistle with a blessing of peace, with which he also began it. He strove to establish this peace in the hearts of his readers through the entire content of his epistle.

This peace is heavenly peace, peace with God, given through Jesus Christ. It gives Christians strength to endure everything for Christ. With the peace of Christ, nothing can shake the faith of Christians or separate them from the love of God; cf. Phil 4:7.