The Context and Meaning of the Premise and Purpose Statement of the Book of the Acts

After Christ’s resurrection, “He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs, being seen of “the Apostles forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). Jesus Himself, at the very beginning of those forty days, had opened the Apostles’ understanding, enabling them to “understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). On the day of Christ’s ascension, at the conclusion of the forty days, the Apostles, having understood the Scriptures through divine assistance, and having received Christ’s particular instruction concerning the things of His kingdom during the forty days, yet felt that they lacked one essential piece of information: the time. Therefore they ask this question: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1:6). To this the Lord replied, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own authority” (vs.7). The question was not, ‘Wilt thou restore again the kingdom to Israel?’ for, to the Apostles, that was not subject to question. The question simply regarded the time when this was to take place.