In Acts 2:20 the term translated “glorious” (Strong’s Greek 2016) is applied to “the great and glorious day of the Lord.” Coming in Peter’s Pentecost sermon, the adjective highlights the radiance and manifest grandeur that will characterize the climactic visitation of God. Positioned between cosmic portents (“The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood”) and the promise of salvation (“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” Acts 2:21), the word underscores the unrivaled splendor of the day when God intervenes publicly and decisively in human history.

Old Testament Roots and Prophetic Continuity

Peter is citing Joel 2:31, demonstrating Scripture’s seamless unity. Joel foretold a day when heavenly signs would introduce Yahweh’s visible self-disclosure. The Septuagint often uses words from the same family to depict the appearing of divine light, whether in the pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21) or the glory filling Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 7:1). Thus Luke’s selection of this adjective ties Pentecost to a long-standing pattern: when God advances His redemptive program, He does so with conspicuous glory.

Eschatological Significance

“Day of the Lord” language gathers together judgment, deliverance, and kingdom consummation. Descriptors such as “glorious” remind believers that this day is not merely dreadful for the rebellious (Amos 5:18-20) but magnificent for the redeemed (Zechariah 14:7-9). Acts 2 reveals that the outpouring of the Spirit inaugurates the last days (Acts 2:17), yet the full effulgence of that “glorious day” remains future. The adjective therefore serves a dual function—celebrating a present taste of divine presence at Pentecost while directing hope toward Christ’s final appearing.

Christological Connections

Other New Testament writers employ cognate terms to describe Jesus Christ’s visible return. For example, Paul speaks of “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Though a different grammatical form, the conceptual link is unmistakable: both passages anticipate a radiant manifestation that will leave no doubt as to the identity and authority of the Lord. The glory that shone at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:2) and blazed around the risen Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9:3) foreshadows the public, worldwide brilliance of His second coming.

Historical Reception in the Early Church

From the second century onward, the Feast of Epiphany commemorated the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, the Lord’s baptism, and, in some regions, the miracle at Cana. Christians recognized that the same God who once appeared in splendor will appear again. Patristic writers employed vocabulary derived from Strong’s Greek 2016 to proclaim both Christ’s first revelation and His awaited return, nurturing a posture of watchful expectation.

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Evangelistic Urgency

The Scriptures present a limited window before the “glorious day” dawns. Peter immediately invites his audience to repent and believe (Acts 2:38-40). Modern proclamation should retain that same urgency.

2. Hope-Infused Perseverance

Believers suffering for Christ can endure when they remember that present afflictions will give way to unparalleled glory (Romans 8:18).

3. Worship That Anticipates Glory

Hymns and prayers that celebrate God’s radiant appearing align congregational worship with biblical eschatology, teaching saints to look “for the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).

4. Motivation for Holiness

“Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). Meditating on the coming glory fosters moral vigilance and Christlike living.

Related Biblical Motifs

• Divine Light: Isaiah 60:1-3, John 1:4-5
• Theophany: Exodus 19:16-18, Ezekiel 1:26-28
• Cosmic Signs: Matthew 24:29-30, Revelation 6:12-17
• Day of the Lord: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, 2 Peter 3:10-12

Summary

Strong’s Greek 2016 in Acts 2:20 encapsulates the dazzling manifestation of God that both interprets Pentecost and foreshadows Christ’s triumphant return. The word invites the Church to live between the already-experienced outpouring of the Spirit and the not-yet-unveiled brilliance of the Lord’s day—confident, watchful, and wholly devoted to the One whose appearing will flood all creation with glory.