Salutations

A salutation in scripture is rarely a passing nicety. It is a gesture or word — a kiss, a bow, an invocation of peace, a benediction in Yahweh's name, a sealed signature at the foot of a letter — by which one party addresses another and places that meeting under blessing. The forms are concrete and varied: bodies stoop to the ground, hands lift over a congregation, mouths greet kindred, and apostles sign letters in their own hand.

Bowing as Greeting

Approach by bowing is the most physical of biblical salutations. Abraham, seeing the three men at the tent door, "ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth" (Gen 18:2). Lot, meeting the two angels at the gate of Sodom, "rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face to the earth" (Gen 19:1). Abraham later "rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the sons of Heth" (Gen 23:7).

The patriarchal narrative presses this gesture between brothers and rulers. Jacob, returning to meet Esau, "passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother" (Gen 33:3). Joseph's dream of grain sheaves prompts his father's rebuke, "Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth?" (Gen 37:10) — and the dream is later enacted when Pharaoh sets him over Egypt and "they cried before him, Bow the knee" (Gen 41:43), and his brothers "bowed down themselves to him to the earth" (Gen 43:26) and again "bowed the head, and made obeisance" (Gen 43:28). Jacob's blessing on Judah carries the same expectation: "Your father's sons will bow down before you" (Gen 49:8).

Bowing also opens encounters with kings and prophets. Abigail, meeting David, "fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground" (1Sa 25:23). Ahimaaz, bringing word from the battlefield, called to David, "All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth" (2Sa 18:28). Bathsheba "bowed, and did obeisance to the king" (1Ki 1:16). Esther "fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears" (Es 8:3). Jairus, on seeing Jesus, "falls at his feet" (Mr 5:22).

Greeting by Kiss

The kiss is the kindred form, exchanged among family, between covenant friends, and at moments of reunion or commissioning. Isaac calls Jacob near "and kissed him" before blessing him (Gen 27:27). Jacob "kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept" (Gen 29:11). Joseph "kissed all his brothers, and wept on them: and after that his brothers talked with him" (Gen 45:15). Samuel poured oil on Saul's head, "and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Yahweh has anointed you to be leader over his inheritance?" (1Sa 10:1). David and Jonathan, parting, "kissed one another, and wept one with another" (1Sa 20:41). Elisha, called by Elijah, asks, "Let me, I pray you, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you" (1Ki 19:20). The penitent woman at the meal kissed Jesus' feet (Lu 7:38).

A kiss can also frame what is not a greeting at all. Joab "took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him," asking, "Is it well with you, my brother?" (2Sa 20:9) — the words of greeting cover a killing.

In the apostolic letters, the kiss is named as the standard greeting among believers: "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (Ro 16:16; 1Co 16:20; 2Co 13:12), and "Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to all of you⁺ who are in Christ" (1Pe 5:14).

Verbal Salutations

The spoken greetings preserved in the text are short formulas, often invoking God or peace. Lot answers the angels with "my lords" (Gen 19:2). Joseph, meeting Benjamin, says, "God be gracious to you, my son" (Gen 43:29). David's men greet Nabal, "To life! Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have" (1Sa 25:6). Joab greets Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" (2Sa 20:9).

Master and servants exchange salutations in Yahweh's name: Boaz "said to the reapers, Yahweh be with you⁺. And they answered him, Yahweh bless you" (Ru 2:4). Jesus directs his disciples, "into whatever house you⁺ will enter, first say, Peace [be] to this house" (Lu 10:5). Nebuchadnezzar opens his decree, "to all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you⁺" (Da 4:1).

Peace Be to You

"Peace be to you" is the recurring verbal blessing extended to a stranger, a host, or one in fear. Joseph's steward reassures the brothers, "Peace be to you⁺, don't be afraid" (Gen 43:23). Yahweh says to Gideon, "Peace be to you; don't be afraid: you will not die" (Jg 6:23). The old man at Gibeah greets the Levite, "Peace be to you" (Jg 19:20). Amasai greets David, "We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse: peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you" (1Ch 12:18). Paul closes the Galatians with "as many as will walk by this rule, peace [be] on them, and mercy, and on the Israel of God" (Ga 6:16).

In Sirach the same speech-act is taught and modeled. The wise are urged to "answer his [greeting of] Peace, with meekness" (Sir 4:8); Solomon "reigned in days of peace, and God gave him rest round about" (Sir 47:13); the high priest's prayer asks, "May he grant to you wisdom of heart, and may there be peace among you" (Sir 50:23). In 1 Maccabees, peace recurs as the term that opens diplomatic exchange — Judas sends to a city "with peaceful words" (1Ma 5:47-48), Lysias makes peace at Beth-zur (1Ma 6:49) and proposes "let's come to an agreement with these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation" (1Ma 6:58, 6:60), the Assideans "sought peace" of Bacchides (1Ma 7:13), Alexander is "the chief promoter of peace" (1Ma 10:47), the cry "Grant us peace" rises from the city (1Ma 11:50), and Simon receives the request "we are ready to make a firm peace with you⁺" (1Ma 13:37; cf. 13:40, 13:45, 13:50), so that "He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy" (1Ma 14:11).

The Aaronic Blessing and Public Benedictions

The benediction proper is a salutation pronounced over a congregation in Yahweh's name. The form is given to Aaron and his sons: "On this wise you⁺ will bless the sons of Israel: you⁺ will say to them, Yahweh bless you, and keep you" (Nu 6:23-24). Aaron, on the day of the inaugural offerings, "lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them" (Le 9:22). Joshua dismisses the trans-Jordan tribes with a blessing (Jos 22:6). David, at the bringing up of the ark, "blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts" (2Sa 6:18; 1Ch 16:2). Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, "stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice" (1Ki 8:55). Sirach pictures Simeon the high priest doing the same: "Then he came down and lifted up his hands Upon all the congregation of Israel, And the blessing of Yahweh [was] upon his lips" (Sir 50:20), closing his book with "Blessed be Yahweh, and praised be his name to generations" (Sir 51:30; cf. Sir 51:12).

Apostolic Doxologies

The apostolic letters carry forward the public benediction in a doxological idiom. Paul writes, "the God of peace will bruise Satan under your⁺ feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you⁺" (Ro 16:20), and "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you⁺" (2Th 3:18). Ephesians and 1 Timothy break into ascription: "Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Ep 3:20), and "Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1Ti 1:17). Hebrews closes, "Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, [even] our Lord Jesus" (He 13:20). Peter prays, "the God of all grace, who called you⁺ to his eternal glory in Christ, after you⁺ have suffered a little while, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, [and] firmly set [you⁺]" (1Pe 5:10). Jude lifts the same form: "Now to him who is able to guard you⁺ from stumbling, and to set you⁺ before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy" (Jud 1:24). Revelation ends with the briefest of closing benedictions: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all" (Re 22:21).

Salutations by Letter

The Pauline letters end with a salutation written in the apostle's own hand, which functions both as greeting and as authenticating token. "The salutation of me Paul with my own hand" (1Co 16:21); "The salutation of me Paul with my own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you⁺" (Col 4:18); "The salutation of me Paul with my own hand, which is the token in every letter: so I write" (2Th 3:17). Other letter closings ask the readers to greet one another and pass on greetings from the sender's company: "Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you⁺" (Php 4:21); a closing benediction at 2Co 13:13 reads, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you⁺." The shorter Johannine letters close in the same idiom: "The children of your elect sister greet you" (2Jo 1:13), and "I hope shortly to see you, and we will speak face to face. [15] Peace [be] to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name" (3Jo 1:14).