There are two very different classes of people who find it fitting to their conception of

truth to speak rather freely concerning "Apostolic mistakes". The one class do not

believe the Scriptures to be inspired, and therefore any teaching or action of the apostles

that does not fall into line with their more advanced ideas is put down to ignorance. The

other class believe that Scripture is inspired, but they have failed to discern the things that

differ. They approach the Book of the Acts fully persuaded that it deals with the

"Church". They find their ideas concerning the church in the Acts of the Apostles

continually confronted and challenged by some word or act of the apostles. Hence the

convenient term, Apostolic Mistakes. It does not seem to have occurred to them that if

the apostles could be so grievously mistaken regarding such fundamental things, their

claim to inspiration and God-given authority is undermined, and so in this respect are

similar to those who deny the Word of God.

One of the so called apostolic mistakes is the question of Acts 1: 6. "Lord, wilt Thou

at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?" We are told that this question betrays a

sorry failure on the part of the apostles to understand the true significance of things. To

suit the accepted ideas of most orthodox teachers, the apostles should have been found

enquiring concerning the "Church".

Before we consider this question, we shall be profited, and possibly humbled, by

observing the close parallel existing between the end of Luke 24: and the opening

verses of Acts 1: To make this apparent we set out the verses in parallel columns.