And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.
Peter's words struck thousands like a rod of God's strength, and what was strange and wonderful was how hard hearts suddenly became attentive, became troubled, became urgent. The Spirit worked by the word to begin and carry on a good work of grace where moments before there had been only resistance.
AI summary
Commenting on Acts 2:37-41
Luke gives us only the chief points, but Peter did not stop there, he added the pricks of exhortation, insisting hard on this. They had to be torn violently out of the mire of their old errors and the priests' tyranny. His plain message: those leaders were a froward generation, masquerading as the Church; to be Christ's, you must separate from them entirely, or you will surely perish in their pestilential fellowship.
AI summary
Peter did not merely testify to the truths of Christianity; he entreated them by arguments and promises to exert their own strength to escape this generation's influence, designs, and fate. They were free agents, and unless they put forth effort, they would not be saved. That generation was signally corrupt, they had crucified the Messiah and would soon be destroyed for their sins.
AI summary