John Calvin Commentary Acts 1:6

"They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" — Acts 1:6 (ASV)

He shows that the apostles were gathered together when this question was raised, so that we may know that this question was not raised out of the foolishness of one or two, but by the common consent of them all. But astonishing is their lack of understanding, that when they had been diligently instructed for three whole years, they reveal no less ignorance than if they had never heard a word.

There are as many errors in this question as there are words. They ask Him concerning a kingdom, but they dream of an earthly kingdom, which would abound with riches, delicacies, external peace, and similar good things. And in assigning the present time for its restoration, they desire to triumph before the battle; for before they begin to work, they want their wages.

They are also greatly deceived in this, in that they limit Christ’s kingdom to carnal Israel, which was to be spread abroad, even to the uttermost parts of the world.

Furthermore, there is this fault in their entire question, namely, that they desire to know those things which are not fitting for them to know. No doubt they were not ignorant of what the prophets prophesied concerning the restoration of David’s kingdom; they had often heard their Master preach about this matter.

Lastly, it was a common saying that, in the most miserable captivity of the people, they would all be comforted with the expectation of the coming kingdom. Now, they hoped for its restoration at the coming of the Messiah, and so it was that as soon as the apostles saw their Master, Christ, risen from the dead, they immediately began to think about it. But, in the meantime, they showed by this how poor scholars they were under so good a Master.

Therefore Christ briefly addresses in this short answer all the errors into which they fell in their question, as I will immediately explain. To restore, in this context, signifies to set up again that which had fallen, and through many ruins had become dilapidated; for out of the dry stock of Jesse a Branch was to spring, and the tabernacle of David, which was laid waste, was to be erected and established again.