Many understand the apostles’ question as implying that they considered Jesus to be an earthly Messiah who came to restore the Davidic kingdom and eliminate the Roman overlords.1 Essentially a return to the glory days of the old covenant. Most likely, however, the apostles are simply responding to the fact that the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Messiah was identified with the last days when the kingdom of Israel would be restored, the time of final consummation.2 In that case they are simply asking how soon the final time (day of Christ’s glorious return) will come.3
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”