customed so to speak of it (Pirlce Aboth, iv, 17). (6) Schulz ( in his Dissert, de Temporibus tijq draipi'&wQ, in the Biblioth, Hagan, v, 119 sq.) understands the time of death, the terminus fixed to each man's life, the future rest of the dead in the Lord; a view which Barkey (ibid. p. 411) justly opposes by this, among other con- siderations, that if this had been Peter's meaning it is strange he had not used clearer and more customary phraseology, (c) Kraft (Obss. Sacr. fascic. ix, 271 sq.) remarks that Peter on this passage derives his argument not merely from the hope of pardon, but also from ihe benefits already bestowed by God, and therefore consid- ers this "refreshing" to be the liberation afforded by Jesus from the ceremonial yoke of bondage of the Jewish law, an exposition which is well refuted by Barkey (Bibl. Hag. iii, 119 sq.), who pertinently remarks that Peter at this very time was not himself free from legal preju- dices, (d) Barkey (ibid, v, 397 sq.) thinks these " times of refreshing" are the period of the delay of the divine judgment upon the Jews, the time of the divine long- suffering, in which the zeal of the Almighty's vengeance was remitted or relaxed. He regards the expression " Jesus Christ" here as put for " the word of Jesus Christ," and so refers the words " he shall send," etc., to the preaching of the doctrine of Jesus, (e) In the opin- ion of Grotius, Hammond, and Bolten, the " times of re- freshing" are the time of the freedom of Christians from Jewish persecution and the calamities impending over the wicked and refractory Jews (Matt, xxiv, 33 ; Luke xxi, 28) ; while the " times of restitution" are the time of the fulfilment of the predictions concerning the overthrow of the capital and polity of the Jews (comp. Matt, xxiv, 15, 30). (/) Ernesti (in his Opusc. Theol. p. 477), who finds a follower in Doderlein (Institutio Theol. Christ, ii, § 223, obs. 6), interprets the term apocatas/asis as mean- ing a new, greater, and truer perfection of religion, the doctrine of the Gospel clear and free from all shadows of figures and rites; first announced by John, then pro- mulgated by Jesus among the Jews, and finally propa- gated by the apostle everywhere. This view he forti- fies by the observation that " times of restitution" is equivalent to "time of reformation" (oiopSojvic., Heb.ix, 10). (g) Also Eckermann (Theologische Beitrdge, I, ii, 112 sq.) interprets the "apocatastasis of all things" to mean the universal emendation of religion by the doc-^ trine of Christ, and the " times of refreshing" to be the day of renewal, the times of the Messiah. The same writer, however, afterwards (ibid. II, i, 188 sq.) rejects this exposition on the ground that the parallel passages (Matt, xi, 17 ; Mark ix. 12) speak of Elijah as to precede and rectify Jewish faith and morals. He therefore con- cludes that Peter was referring to a restoration of the Jewish polity in its original splendor. Yet finally (in his Erkldrung alter dunkeln Stellen des N. T. ii, 184) he returns to his original opinion, (h) Rosenmiiller, fol- lowing Morus, understands the " times of refreshing" to denote happy times, not merely the day of the resurrec- tion of the dead, but also spiritual benefits of every kind which Christians enjoy in this and the future life (Mo- rus: the Messianic times), and refers the "times of res- titution" (full and perfect fulfilment of prophecy) to the consummation of that auspicious period when all ene- mies shall be subdued (1 Cor. xx, 25 sq. ; Heb. x, 12, 15 ; comp. Psa. ex, 1), and every influence opposing true re- ligion removed. Many of these interpretations are ob- viously fanciful, and most of them too vague, although some contain an element of truth. The word cnroKa- TaaTaaiQ signifies emendation, restoration to a pristine condition, change to a better state. (So Josephus, Ant. xi, 3, 8 ; iv, 6 ; Philo, De Decal. p. 767 b ; De Rer. Die. Her. p. 522 c. Hesychius and Phanorinus likewise explain it by TeXtitDVig; but the scholiast in the Cod. Nosq. ad loc. renders avp~\i]pi<iaiQ, 'iicfia<nc. In like manner aTroKaiiaravHii signifies to complete, bring to a conclu- sion ; see the Sept. at Job viii, 6, where it corresponds with Elb'iJ ; so in Gen. xli, 13 ; Jer. xxii, 8 ; comp. Polyb.
RESTORATION
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RESTORATION
iv, 23, 1 ; Diod. Sic. xx, 34.) By the expression " until the times of the apocatastasU of all things which God hath spoken," etc., Peter means the time when all affairs shall be consummated, all the prophetical an- nouncements shall be accomplished, including the in- auguration of the kingdom of the Messiah and it- at- tendant events, the full extension of the Gospel, the res- urrection, judgment, etc, in Bhort, the end of the world lausen, De Wette, Backett, and most others, See Eschatologt.
Restoration, The, a name generally given to the return of the Church of England to the previously ap- pointed ecclesiastical polity, and to their allegiance to the regular prince, Charles II. which took place in 1660. Ii bas been appointed, by authority, that May 29 in every year shall be kept with prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God for this event. See Hook, Church J)ir/. s. v.