SALUTATION

sal-u-ta'-shun (aspasmos): A greeting which might be given in person, orally (Luke 1:29, 41, 44), or in writing, usually at the close of a letter (1 Corinthians 16:21 Colossians 4:18 2 Thessalonians 3:17; compare use of chairein, "greeting," "joy" in James 1:1). The Pharisaic Jews loved salutations in public places (Matthew 23:7 Mark 12:38, the King James Version "greeting," the Revised Version (British and American) "salutation"; Luke 11:43; Luke 20:46). Often these salutations were very elaborate, involving much time in prostrations, embracings, etc. When Jesus therefore sent out the Seventy, He forbade salutation by the way (Luke 10:4), though He ordinarily encouraged proper civilities of this sort (Matthew 5:47; Matthew 10:12).

Edward Bagby Pollard