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Salutation
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Boyd’s Bible Dictionary
:
(good health, greeting). Personal
salutation
very formal in
East
. The “
peace
be with thee,” or similar expression, was accompanied by a profound
bow
,
kiss
, embrace, or other courtesy (
Gen. 19:1
1
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; (Genesis 19:1)
;
1 Sam. 25:23
23
And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, (1 Samuel 25:23)
;
Matt. 10:12
12
And when ye come into an house, salute it. (Matthew 10:12)
;
Luke 1:41
41
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: (Luke 1:41)
). Epistolary salutation took the form found in the opening and closing of the
epistles
(
Rom. 1:7
7
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)
;
1 Cor. 1:3
3
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:3)
).
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
The brotherly greetings expressed at the close of nearly all the
epistles
. They were sent from the saints located where the epistles were written to the saints addressed, together with, at
times
, the injunction to greet one another with “a holy
kiss
,” that being the ordinary form of salutation in the
East
among the men as well as among the women (
Rom. 16:5-23
5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
6
Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us.
7
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8
Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.
9
Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.
10
Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.
11
Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.
12
Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which labored much in the Lord.
13
Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
14
Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.
15
Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
16
Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
19
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
20
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
21
Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.
22
I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.
23
Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. (Romans 16:5‑23)
;
1 Thess. 5:26
26
Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. (1 Thessalonians 5:26)
;
Titus 3:15
15
All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. <<It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia.>> (Titus 3:15)
).
When evil doctrine had spread in the professing
church
, the question of salutation became serious. The “lady” to whom the
apostle
John
wrote was strictly enjoined not to receive into her
house
anyone who brought not good doctrine, nor was she even to salute such a one; for to do so, would be to become morally a partaker of his evil deeds (
2 John 1:10-11
10
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11
For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (2 John 10‑11)
; compare
Rom. 16:17
17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (Romans 16:17)
).
Salutations in the East being often very lengthy and of mere ceremony, may well account for those sent in haste being told to salute no one by the way (
2 Kings 4:29
29
Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. (2 Kings 4:29)
;
Luke 10:4
4
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. (Luke 10:4)
).
“84. Form of Salutation” From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
Genesis 43:29
29
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. (Genesis 43:29)
. Is this your younger
brother
, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said,
God
be gracious unto thee, my
son
.
This is not a benediction, but one of the numerous forms of Oriental
salutation
used in meeting or in taking leave of all acquaintance.
“240. Mutual Salutations” From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
Ruth 2:4
4
And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee. (Ruth 2:4)
. Behold,
Boaz
came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The
Lord
be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.
These salutations are heard at this
day
in the
East
. The Psalmist prays that the haters of
Zion
may be like
grass
upon the
house
tops, and not like the grain which is reaped in the
harvest
field amid these mutual benedictions of employer and laborer (
Psa. 129:6-8
6
Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
7
Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
8
Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord. (Psalm 129:6‑8)
).
“336. Formal Salutation” From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
2 Kings 4:26
26
Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. (2 Kings 4:26)
. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy
husband
? Is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
These are merely the customary formal salutations which are so profusely used by Orientals. Dr. Thomson says, “If you ask after a person whom you know to be sick, the reply at first will invariably be well, thank
God
, even when the next sentence is to inform you that he is dying” (The Land and the
Book
, vol. 2, p. 177). The expression is also used without any reference to the state of one’s health; as in verse 23, when the husband expressed his surprise at his wife’s going to see
the
prophet
at that
time
, her only answer was, “Well.” The
salutation
is the same in form as that of “
Peace
,” so often spoken of in the
Bible
. See note on
John 20:19
19
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19)
(#823).
“767. Formal Salutations” From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
Luke 10:4
4
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. (Luke 10:4)
. Salute no
man
by the way.
This was not designed to forbid them from exercising the usual courtesies of
life
, in giving a mere salaam to those they might meet, as is evident from the very next verse, and also from
Matthew 10:12-13
12
And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. (Matthew 10:12‑13)
. They were, doubtless, allowed to give the usual
salutation
of “
Peace
!” See note on
John 20:19
19
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19)
. But the text is designed to remind them of the importance of their mission, and of the necessity of diligence in its execution. Hence, they were riot to observe the tedious and oft-repeated salutations with which the Orientals love to greet each other. These ceremonies of salutation are numerous and slowly performed. When two friends meet each inquires of the other, again and again, concerning his health and the health of his family; and repeats over and over again the best wishes for his prosperity and peace, thanking
God
that he is permitted once more to behold his face. These formalities are accompanied by numerous bowings and posturing¨ of the body, and are
sometimes
repeated as often as
ten
times
, consuming much
time
and making great delay. Those whom our
Lord
sent forth were forbidden to do this.
A similar injunction was given by
Elisha
when he sent his
servant
Gehazi
to the Shunamite’s
house
: “If thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again” (
2 Kings 4:29
29
Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. (2 Kings 4:29)
).
“823. Salutation” From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
John 20:19
19
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19)
. Came
Jesus
and stood in the midst, and saith unto them,
Peace
be unto you.
This was the most common form of
salutation
among the Hebrews, and is often referred to in the Scriptures. In the history of
Joseph
it is said that “when his
brethren
saw that their
father
loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.”
Genesis 37:4
4
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. (Genesis 37:4)
. That is, they refused to give him the ordinary salutation of the
day
, “Peace be unto you.” See also
Judges 19:20
20
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. (Judges 19:20)
;
1 Samuel 25:6
6
And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. (1 Samuel 25:6)
;
Matthew 10:12-13
12
And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. (Matthew 10:12‑13)
. These salutations of peace were often merely ceremonial, having in them no real hearty meaning; but Jesus informed his disciples that when he uttered
the word
“Peace.” it was something more than a mere conformity to a worldly
custom
: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as
the world
giveth, give I unto you” (
John 14:27
27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
).
Related Books and Articles:
240. Mutual Salutations
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
767. Formal Salutations
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
823. Salutation
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
336. Formal Salutation
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
84. Form of Salutation
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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