Members of Christ he unites through greeting, according to his constant custom.
1 Cor. 16:19. Aquila and Priscilla greet you earnestly in the Lord, together with the church in their house.
He stayed with them, because he himself was also occupied with tent-making (Acts 18:1–3). Note their virtue in that they made their house a church, having arranged in it gatherings of the faithful.
1 Cor. 16:20. All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
Only here does he make the addition about the holy kiss, because there were many divisions. Since he had urged them greatly toward unity, he finally unites them also with a kiss — "holy," that is, sincere, and not hypocritical.
1 Cor. 16:21. My greeting, Paul's, in my own hand.
He made a greeting in his own hand, in order to show that he attaches great importance to the epistle.
1 Cor. 16:22. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. Maranatha.
By this one word he struck fear into all — the fornicators, the dissenters, those who consumed food offered to idols, those who disbelieved in the resurrection, and in general all among them who conducted themselves contrary to his teaching and tradition. For all such people do not love the Lord. "Maranatha," that is, the Lord has come. He said this partly to confirm the teaching about the dispensation, and through this also the resurrection, and partly to put them to shame: the Master accepted everything upon Himself for our sake, yet you provoke Him — some by naming yourselves after men, and others by committing shameful deeds. He used an expression not Greek but Hebrew, or rather the Syrian language; for he was speaking to the Corinthians, who placed great value on outward wisdom and the beauty of the Greek tongue, yet he shows that he has no need of it whatsoever, but rather boasts in simplicity, so that he even speaks in a rough language.
1 Cor. 16:23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
The duty of a teacher is not only to persuade, but also to pray, and thus to confirm in a twofold manner: by teaching and by drawing down help from above through his prayers.
1 Cor. 16:24. And my love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Since he was separated from them by location, he embraces them as it were with the arms of love, saying: "my love be with you," that is, I am present with all of you; for I am not without you, even though I am in another place. By this he also shows that although what was written manifests bitterness, it was written not out of anger, not out of fury, but out of love and care. And lest they think he says this out of flattery toward them, he adds: "in Christ Jesus," that is, my love has nothing human or carnal in it, but is spiritual and in Christ.
Let us also pray that, loving one another in Christ, we may bear nothing within ourselves of worldly love, which is hostile to God. For in this way we shall be deemed worthy of the longed-for dwellings of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord, Who loved us, to Whom be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.