Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 16:16

16. Salute one another with an holy kiss . The Churches of Christ salute you .

From Greeting them himself, he proceeds to Exhort them to Greet or Salute one another. This he adviseth them to do, with an holy kiss; you have the same Exhortation, 1 Cor. 16.20. 2 Cor. 13.12. 1 Thes. 5.26. Thus the Apostle Peter calls a Kiss of Charity, 1 Pet. 5.14. Kissing is accounted a great Symbol of Love and Concord. q. d. You have been much troubled with Dissentions, about Meats and Days, &c. Therefore I beseech you, that forgetting all former Offences, you would Manifest for the future all signes of Love to, and Peace with one another. Kissing was an old Custome amongst the Hebrews; we find it used by the Patriarckes, Gen. 27.26. and 29.11. It is still retained more or less in all Countries. The Primitive Christians did use it in their Assemblies; so Tertulian testifieth, Lib. Dec. and they did, it especially in receiving the Eucharist. So Chrysostom witnesseth, Hom. 77. In Ioh. 16. we do well, saith he, to kiss in the mysteries that we may become one. This Custom for good reasons is laid down, and the Romanists, in room of it, keep up a foolish and superstitious Ceremony, which is to kiss the pax in the Mass.

He sends besides his own, the Salutations of others; also to the Christians at Rome, and that first of whole Churches; and by and by of particular Persons, v. 21.22.23. By Churches here, he principally means, The Churches in Greece, where he then was, of whose good Affection to the Christian Romans, he was well assured.