kiss, love

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Form of salutation

(Gen. 29:13¹³And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. (Genesis 29:13)); token of allegiance (1 Sam. 10:1¹Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1)); pledge of Christian brotherhood (Rom. 16:16¹⁶Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. (Romans 16:16); 1 Peter 5:14¹⁴Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Peter 5:14)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

This common mode of salutation among relatives is sanctified by its adoption in the church. Five of the Epistles close with the exhortation to greet one another with a holy kiss, or kiss of love (Rom. 16:16¹⁶Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. (Romans 16:16); 1 Cor. 16:20²⁰All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. (1 Corinthians 16:20); 2 Cor. 13:12¹²Greet one another with an holy kiss. (2 Corinthians 13:12); 1 Thess. 5:26²⁶Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. (1 Thessalonians 5:26); 1 Peter 5:14¹⁴Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Peter 5:14)). When Paul said farewell to the elders of Ephesus, they wept sore, and fell on his neck and kissed him. Permission to kiss the hand of a superior is a mark of honor. The heathen kissed their gods (1 Kings 19:18¹⁸Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18); Hos. 13:2²And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. (Hosea 13:2)). In the case of distant objects of worship, like the sun and moon, they kissed the hand (Job 31:26-27²⁶If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; ²⁷And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: (Job 31:26‑27)), hence the most usual word for worship in the New Testament is προσκυνέω, from κυνέω, to kiss. Kings and judges of the earth are exhorted to kiss the Son when He comes to reign, lest He be angry, and they perish (Psalm 2:12¹²Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:12)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

5368 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

φιλέω

Transliteration:

phileo

Phonic:

fil-eh’-o

Meaning:

from 5384; to be a friend to (fond of (an individual or an object)), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while 25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as 2309 and 1014, or as 2372 and 3563 respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head); specially, to kiss (as a mark of tenderness)

KJV Usage:

kiss, love