So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The disciples' question isn't just about when Jesus will restore Israel's kingdom, but it’s repeatedly asked, highlighting their persistent focus on a national, earthly kingdom, revealing how much they still had to learn about the spiritual, global nature of God's reign. This shows their immediate expectation was for a political restoration, not the universal spiritual transformation that Pentecost would usher in.
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The disciples, having just seen Jesus ascend into heaven, are eager to understand the next steps in God's plan. Still largely focused on a national restoration, they press Jesus with a hopeful but limited view of his kingdom, asking if he will now re-establish Israel as a dominant earthly power. Jesus’s response will guide them toward a much broader, spiritual mission for the coming age.
The disciples are gathered, the risen Christ is with them, and they have a burning question. Yet, their question reveals they're still thinking small.
Even after all they'd witnessed – Christ's miracles, His teachings, and now His resurrection – the disciples still had a deeply ingrained, nationalistic view of God's kingdom. They were asking Jesus if He was about to re-establish the political and military power of Israel, overthrowing Roman rule and making them the dominant nation once again.
This wasn't a new idea; it was a dream many Jews held. They were focused on the outward signs of power and national glory, missing the deeper, spiritual reality Jesus was bringing. Their question, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' shows how far they still had to go in understanding that Christ's kingdom wasn't about earthly thrones, but about transforming hearts.
It wasn't just a casual query; their question was repeated and urgent. What was driving their persistent inquiry?
The Greek word used here for 'asked' (epegraptan) is in the imperfect tense. This isn't just a one-off question; it implies a repeated, insistent, and even urgent line of questioning. They had likely discussed this among themselves, and now, gathered together, they brought their collective hope and confusion to Jesus.
They were probably thinking about the promise of the Holy Spirit coming 'not many days hence' (Acts 1:5). This promise, coupled with Jesus' resurrection, fueled their expectation that a major shift was imminent. They wanted to know if this was the moment – the moment of national restoration and Jewish sovereignty. Their eagerness, though misdirected in its focus, reveals their deep desire for God's promised kingdom to be fully realized.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus doesn't rebuke their question directly, but the answer He gives later reveals a profound misunderstanding on their part.
The fascinating thing here is that Jesus doesn't immediately shut down their question about restoring the kingdom to Israel. Instead, the narrative moves towards His declaration in verse 8: 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses... to the end of the earth.'
This contrast is key. The disciples were focused on a specific, national restoration for Israel. Jesus, however, was preparing them for a universal mission. The 'kingdom' they envisioned was geographically limited and politically focused. The 'kingdom' Jesus was establishing, through the power of the Holy Spirit, would transcend national boundaries and transform lives from the inside out. Their question highlights the significant spiritual growth they would undergo, especially after Pentecost, to grasp the true, global scope of God's reign.
Understand the original words
Kyrios · Greek Noun
A title of respect, sovereignty, and deity, acknowledging Jesus as the supreme Master and the promised Messiah who holds authority over all things.
apokathistaneis · Greek Verb
The act of bringing something back to its original state, specifically referring to the messianic expectation of restoring political and spiritual sovereignty to the nation of Israel.
basileia · Greek Noun
The divine rule or reign of God over His people and the cosmos, inaugurated by Christ and awaiting its final consummation.
chronous ē kairous · Greek Noun
Specific points or intervals in divine history, emphasizing God's sovereign control over the unfolding of His redemptive plan.
exousia · Greek Noun
The absolute, supreme power and right to command and control, belonging inherently to God the Father in the orchestration of history.
The disciples' question reveals their persistent hope for a national, political restoration of Israel, a hope rooted in centuries of occupation and a misunderstanding of Jesus's spiritual kingdom, which would only be fully corrected after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
c. 70 BC
Roman Influence Grows
Roman power gradually increased in Judea, culminating in Pompey's intervention in Jewish affairs and the establishment of client kings.
37 BC - 4 BC
Herodian Dynasty
Herod the Great, a Roman client king, ruled Judea, a period marked by extensive building projects but also political tension and a longing for national independence.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus's execution by the Roman authorities, a devastating event that seemingly crushed any hopes for an immediate political restoration of Israel.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Appears to Disciples
Following his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his followers over a period of 40 days, offering reassurance and further instruction.
c. AD 33
Pentecost and Holy Spirit
The coming of the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples, transforming their understanding of Christ's kingdom and mission.
This passage highlights the disciples' mistaken expectation of an immediate, earthly kingdom, which directly fuels their question in Acts 1:6.
Acts 3:21This verse speaks of the 'times of restoration of all things' that Jesus will bring, offering a glimpse into the ultimate, spiritual restoration that contrasts with the disciples' immediate, nationalistic hopes.
Romans 14:17This verse defines the kingdom of God as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, providing a spiritual counterpoint to the disciples' very physical and political understanding of restoring a kingdom to Israel.
John 18:36Jesus himself states, 'My kingdom is not of this world.' This earlier statement directly addresses the kind of earthly, political kingdom the disciples are still expecting in Acts 1:6.
vincentActs 1:6: "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
Asked (ἐπηρώτων)The imperfect, denoting the repetition and urging of the question.
cambridgeActs 1:6: "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
6 . wilt thou … restore ] Literally, dost thou restore (or art thou restoring ), but the English future gives the sense. the kingdom to Israel ] The question was asked when all the Apostles were gathered together, so that the enquiry was not dictated by the mistaken notion of some single member. It shews, as do many other remarks and questions (cp. Luk…
The disciples' question isn't just about when Jesus will restore Israel's kingdom, but it’s repeatedly asked, highlighting their persistent focus on a national, earthly kingdom, revealing how much they still had to learn about the spiritual, global nature of God's reign. This shows their immediate expectation was for a political restoration, not the universal spiritual transformation that Pentecost would usher in.
The disciples, having just seen Jesus ascend into heaven, are eager to understand the next steps in God's plan. Still largely focused on a national restoration, they press Jesus with a hopeful but limited view of his kingdom, asking if he will now re-establish Israel as a dominant earthly power. Jesus’s response will guide them toward a much broader, spiritual mission for the coming age.
The disciples, having just seen Jesus ascend into heaven, are eager to understand the next steps in God's plan. Still largely focused on a national restoration, they press Jesus with a hopeful but limited view of his kingdom, asking if he will now re-establish Israel as a dominant earthly power. Jesus’s response will guide them toward a much broader, spiritual mission for the coming age.
"So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority." — The disciples' question isn't just about when Jesus will restore Israel's kingdom, but it’s repeatedly asked, highlighting their persistent focus on a national, earthly kingdom, revealing how much…
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Last reviewed October 2026