Acts 1:6-7
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)
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The disciples’ question, "will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" shows they were still envisioning a literal, earthly kingdom for Israel. Even though Jesus was resurrected and speaking about the kingdom of God, their understanding was limited to national restoration, missing the spiritual and global scope of His reign. This highlights how crucial the coming of the Holy Spirit would be for transforming their perspective.
Jesus has just appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and given them final instructions. They gather together, still focused on the immediate future and the national restoration of Israel, asking if now is the time for Jesus to re-establish an earthly kingdom. This question reveals their lingering misunderstanding of his mission, a misunderstanding that the coming of the Holy Spirit will begin to correct.
The disciples just saw Jesus alive after His crucifixion, a powerful sign! Yet, their first question isn't about the mission Jesus is about to give them. What does this reveal about their expectations?
Even after witnessing the resurrection, the disciples' minds were still fixed on a political, earthly kingdom for Israel. They saw Jesus as the promised Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule and re-establish Jewish dominance.
A Lingering Dream
Think about it: Jesus had just spent 40 days with them, teaching them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). Yet, when they gather together, their immediate, collective thought is, 'Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?'
This wasn't a fleeting thought from one person; the text says 'they asked,' implying a shared and repeated desire (using the imperfect tense, suggesting they asked this more than once). They were still trying to fit Jesus into their pre-existing mold of a conquering king, not yet grasping the spiritual and universal nature of His reign.
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They were so focused on when the kingdom would arrive that they missed the nature of the kingdom Jesus was establishing. What's the difference?
The disciples were asking about the timing ('at this time') of a political restoration for Israel. Their question, 'will you... restore the kingdom to Israel?' is rooted in their understanding of God's covenant promises to their nation.
More Than Just Timing
While Jesus doesn't immediately correct their understanding of the kingdom's political aspect, His response points beyond their nationalistic hopes. He redirects their focus from when He would restore Israel's kingdom to what they would do: 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses...' (Acts 1:8).
This highlights a crucial spiritual principle: Our primary concern shouldn't be pinpointing God's sovereign timetable for worldly changes, but rather understanding and fulfilling our role in His unfolding plan, empowered by His Spirit.
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 reflects a lingering expectation of a political, earthly kingdom for Israel, an understanding that would be profoundly reshaped by the coming of the Holy Spirit and the unfolding of God's universal mission.
c. 70 BC - 63 BC
Roman Influence Grows
Rome gradually increased its political and military influence over Judea, culminating in Pompey's intervention and the establishment of Roman authority.
c. 6 BC - 4 BC
Herod the Great's Reign
The reign of Herod the Great saw a powerful, yet often brutal, Jewish king ruling under Roman overlordship, creating a complex political and religious climate.
c. AD 26 - 36
Pontius Pilate's Governorship
Pontius Pilate served as the Roman prefect of Judea, a period marked by tension and significant events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.
c. AD 30
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus's crucifixion and subsequent resurrection were pivotal events that profoundly impacted his followers, leading to their expectation of his imminent return and the establishment of his kingdom.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Post-Resurrection Appearances
Following his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days, teaching them about the kingdom of God.
c. AD 33
The Ascension of Jesus
Jesus ascended into heaven, leaving his disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit and the Great Commission.
c. AD 33
The Coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost)
The Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, empowering them to preach the Gospel and transforming their understanding of Christ's kingdom.
This passage explains the disciples' expectation of an immediate, earthly kingdom, which directly fuels their question in Acts 1:6.
Acts 3:21Peter's sermon here uses the same Greek word for 'restore' that the disciples use in Acts 1:6, but applies it to the restoration of all things through Christ, highlighting the shift in understanding after Pentecost.
Matthew 17:11Jesus' teaching about Elijah restoring all things shows that the concept of restoration was present, but the disciples still misunderstood its spiritual and cosmic scope in their question.
John 18:36Jesus' statement that His kingdom is not of this world directly contrasts with the disciples' temporal, nationalistic understanding of restoring the kingdom to Israel.
Acts 2:38Peter's response after Pentecost demonstrates a profound transformation from the question in Acts 1:6, preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all nations, not just a restored Israel.
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, "will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" shows they were still envisioning a literal, earthly kingdom for Israel. Even though Jesus was resurrected and speaking about the kingdom of God, their understanding was limited to national restoration, missing the spiritual and global scope of His reign. This highlights how crucial the coming of the Holy Spirit would be for transforming their perspective.
Jesus has just appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and given them final instructions. They gather together, still focused on the immediate future and the national restoration of Israel, asking if now is the time for Jesus to re-establish an earthly kingdom. This question reveals their lingering misunderstanding of his mission, a misunderstanding that the coming of the Holy Spirit will begin to correct.
Jesus has just appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and given them final instructions. They gather together, still focused on the immediate future and the national restoration of Israel, asking if now is the time for Jesus to re-establish an earthly kingdom. This question reveals their lingering misunderstanding of his mission, a misunderstanding that the coming of the Holy Spirit will begin to correct.
"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, "will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" shows they were still envisioning a literal, earthly kingdom for Israel. Even though Jesus was resurrected and speaking…
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