I solemnly charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.
At first reading one might not think that this section relates to the nature and conduct of public worship. But there are clear indications that this is primarily what Paul has in mind. To begin with, all the verbs are plural, so that they seem to describe our collective and public, rather than individual and private, Christian duties. The prophesying of verse 20 is obviously public. The holy kiss of verse 26 presupposes a meeting (you cannot kiss people at a distance!). And verse 27 envisages the reading of the letter when ’all the brothers’ are present. It is this context, then which suggests that the rejoicing, the praying and the thanksgiving of verses 16-18 (like Ephesians 5:19-20 and Colossians 3:15-17) are also meant to be expressed when the congregation assembles (124).