Romans 16:16

‘Salute one another with a holy kiss.'

The kiss, probably usually on the cheek, was a well known form of Christian greeting. Compare 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2Co 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14. When Judas kissed Jesus it was presumably as a recognised form of greeting among the Apostles. Paul was seemingly encouraging this and perhaps intended it to be carried out at this point during the reading aloud of his letter by one of the leadership.

‘All the churches of Christ salute you.'

If the church members had at this point given the kiss of love to one another this salutation would come over with great effectiveness. It was in essence the kiss of love from ‘all the churches of Christ', that is from all the churches with whom Paul had relations. Coming in a long list of salutes it does not, of course, indicate Rome's superiority. ‘Salute' simply indicates ‘greet'. Rather it indicates the warmth of Christian fellowship and a desire to bring the church at Rome within the sphere of all the other churches for which he can speak, as Paul is preparing to visit them.