Bible Encyclopedias

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

Peace, Kiss of

Sacramental rite in the Christian Church, preceding the mass or communion service. It appears to be referred to in Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, and elsewhere, and is referred to by Justin Martyr ("Apologia," 1:65) and by Tertullian ("De Oratione," 18). F. C. Conybeare (in "The Expositor," 1894, 9:46) suggests that this practise of the early Christian Church was derived from Jewish ritual, referring for evidence to Philo's "Quæst. in Exod." 2:78, which speaks of a kiss of harmony like that between the elements, while in another passage (ib. 2:118) the Word of God is referred to as bringing hostile things together in concord, communion, and the kiss of love. Jellinek ("B. H." p. ) finds the kiss of peace given to proselytes in Cant. R. 1:2 and the kiss of peace given by God to the departing soul in B. B. 17a.