The Kiss

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

(Luke 15:20 - NLT)

And having risen, he went unto his own farther, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him.

(Luke 15:20 - YLT)

We normally equate intimacy and affection with privacy – but that as not always the case. The passion embrace, overwhelming affection and kiss of the father in this story (a reflection of the Father heart of God) was not only intimate - it was also public!

The true nature of the Father heart of God as revealed in this incident is awesome. Four things stand out – his compassion, his action (he ran), his embrace and his kiss.

The word translated “compassion” in our bible comes from the Hebrew word for womb - “Racham”, a word which is expressive of deep love and tenderness. (See – “RACHAM The womb of God” – available as a free download on this site) The emotion displayed by the father in this story is therefor rooted in an attribute more commonly associated with the feminine rather than the masculine. The act of running towards his son is also more readily associated with the reaction of a mother - older men in the culture of Jesus day certainly did not run – especially toward a rebellious son! But our Father is “El Rachum” the God of compassion (see – Deuteronomy 4:31)! The heart of Father God is not restricted by cultural taboos and expectations. And he can and may express his love towards us in ways we might not expect – even in public!

But it is as we witness the passionate embrace and kiss of the father that the full extent of his intimacy, acceptance, love and forgiveness becomes apparent. Father embraced the boy despite the fact that he was in all probability emaciated and filthy. And, not only did he embrace him, he proceeded to kiss him repeatedly! Cultural protocol would have demanded that the boy kiss his fathers hands or feet – but father’s precipitative action prevented him from doing so.

Father’s kiss was a kiss of “Shalom” (peace) which in Jewish thought contains the concept of wholeness, completeness, healing and salvation. It is here also, held in Father’s intimate embrace, and smothered by his kisses, that we find completeness, wholeness, healing and salvation. And it is here that the Aaronic prayer of blessing finds fulfilment – “The Lord bless you and keep you: The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Numbers 6:23-26).