Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Acts 1:7.
Jesus’s reply in verses 7–8 does not reject the premise of the question, that the kingdom will one day be restored to Israel (Barrett 1994:77), but it does change its focus, and it is debated whether the definition of Israel changes as the book proceeds (Barrett argues that it does). This reading is in contrast to Stott (1990:41), who sees the question as full of errors. In Stott’s view, they should not have asked about restoration, since that implied a political kingdom; nor should they have asked about Israel, since that anticipated a national kingdom; nor should they have asked about “at this time,” since that implied the kingdom’s immediate establishment. There is no indication in Jesus’s reply, however, that anything they asked was wrong except that they are excessively concerned about when all of this would take place (Le Cornu and Shulam 2003:15). The other major argument Stott makes is that there is no mention of the land in the NT. It is not surprising, however, that the land is not mentioned, since (1) Israel is in its land when the NT is written, and (2) the rule of Jesus is anticipated to extend over the entire earth, so why focus just on the land?
In fact, it is not that the definition of Israel or that expectation for Israel changes but rather that being blessed of God is now centered in the figure of the eschaton, Jesus, rather than in an ethnic or legal emphasis. Throughout Acts Jesus is preached as the mediator of blessing. We shall see that throughout Acts the role of Israel remains and the hope is preached as the natural extension of Jewish expectation, the divinely promised hope of restoration. How this works itself out in detail is part of the story of Acts, especially Acts 10–15, where the manner in which Gentiles are included is worked out. Romans 9–11 suggests that this new emphasis emerging from the new era did not remove hope for Israel or replace the nation in God’s plan, as Paul has a concern for ethnic Israel in these chapters in line with OT promise, which looks to include Israel in the end. What does change, in terms of normal Jewish anticipation, is an emphasis on the scope of the blessing. Acts will show that concern for Israel alone is not the point of the gospel. The message will go to all and is for all because Jesus is Lord of all, a role that includes his being judge of the living and the dead.
Jesus does not answer the question about Israel’s restoration and its timing. Nor is his response a renunciation of an imminent end. It makes no commitment at all as to when the end comes; it just points out that there are things to do in the meantime. The times or seasons the Father has set by his own authority are not for them to know. The question about the specific time in verse 6 is answered with respect to all times and seasons in verse 7 (Jervell 1998:115). The expression οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστιν γνῶναι (ouch hymōn estin gnōnai) means that this matter is of no concern to them (BDF §162.7). Barrett (1994:78) cites Mekilta Exodus 16.32 (59b): “No one knows … when the kingdom of the house of David will be put back in its place, and when the evil kingdom will be wiped out.” This nicely summarizes an important Jewish view of the unknown timing of restoration and hope. Jesus here says more than this Jewish text. Not only do people not know the time; it is also not to be a matter of excessive concern to them. One is to be ready for Jesus’s return whenever God decides to bring it.
It is most likely that the Greek terms for “times” and “seasons” are synonymous, and they appear to reflect a traditional phrase (Dan. 2:21; Wis. 8:8; 1 Thess. 5:1; Schneider 1980:220, although the LXX texts reverse the order). It is possible, however, that the first refers to a specific time period and the second to a broader time frame, given the use of “times” (καιροί, kairoi) of the Gentiles in Luke 21:24 and the specific question about the “time” (χρόνος, chronos) of the end in verse 6. The point is clear: the timing of the promise’s completion, however it is conceived, is set by God and will not be revealed (Mark 13:32 and parallels make a similar point). The Father has “set” (ἔθετο, etheto) the timing in his own sovereign authority. This verb in the middle voice means “fix” or “establish” something (BDAG 1004 §4b; 1 Cor. 12:18 has a similar force).
