And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
3. Art thou he who was to come? John takes for granted what the disciples had known from their childhood; for it was the first lesson of religion, and common among all the Jews, that Christ was to come, bringing salvation and perfect happiness.
Christ's commission to His disciples was a binding command, not mere permission, necessity was laid upon them. When He departed from their company, He was like a nurse withdrawing her hand so the child learns to walk; they must learn to work without His bodily presence, gradually prepared for the day He would be gone much longer.
AI summary
Commenting on Matthew 11:1-6
And said unto him,.... By the disciples he sent; this was the message they came with, and this the question they were to ask, and did, art thou he that should come? A "periphrasis" of the Messiah, well known to the Jews; for he had been spoken of frequently in the prophecies of the Old Testament, as the Shiloh, the Redeemer, the Prophet, and King...