When did Israel have a kingdom that they were proud of and gloried in?
Israel had a kingdom they were proud of and gloried in during the reigns of David and Solomon. That earlier kingdom is the one in view when Scripture speaks of restoring the kingdom again to Israel, since “restore again” points back to something that existed in the past.
Les explains that the disciples’ question in verse 6 asks whether Jesus will at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel. He highlights the words “restore again” because they indicate something that had been in the past. He then asks when Israel had a kingdom they were proud of and gloried in, and answers: at David and Solomon.
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
More Questions
What kingdom did the Jews of Jesus' day regard as the greatest in Israel's history?
In the thinking of the Jews of Jesus' day, the kingdom of David and Solomon, especially Solomon's, was the high point in all of Israel's history.