Verse 39 is a reference back to this quote from Joel. Is verse 40 referring to the day of the Lord when Peter says to “save yourself from this corrupt generation”?
This was the last of the questions I wanted to look at from Acts 2. I’ll be honest; I almost always skip verse 40 when talking about Acts 2. And I rarely hear anyone else discuss it.
This could mean to come out from the group of Jews who still opposed and rejected the message of Jesus. This would be something like “escape from this generation.” Albert Barnes describes it as “preserve yourselves from the influence, opinions, and fate of this generation.” (Found on StudyLight.org)
McGarvey specifically rejects the idea that this is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, arguing that most would die of natural causes before that time. He says that the idea is to escape the fate that awaited the unbelieving Jews, that is, eternal condemnation. (Also found on StudyLight)
If that’s the thought here, then the day of the Lord in this chapter is probably the final judgment. I’m still not sure, but will continue to study it. I still see a real possibility that Peter is referring to the same thing that made Jesus weep over Jerusalem, the terrible siege that was awaiting the rebellious Jews.
What do you think?
I would argue (following Wright’s train of thought from somewhere) that the judgment coming upon Jerusalem is seen as a type of the judgment coming on the fallen world.
Thus I don’t think Peter has to have one or the other in mind — they go together in the thought of anyone trained by Jesus’s eschatology.