Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 11:3

"and said unto him, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?" — Matthew 11:3 (ASV)

Are you he that should come? That is, are you the Messiah, or the Christ? The Jews expected a Savior. His coming had been long foretold, Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:1–6; Isaiah 11:1–5; Isaiah 35:4–6; Isaiah 53:1–12; Daniel 9:24–27.

See also John 6:14. . In common language, therefore, he was familiarly described as he that was to come. Luke adds here (Luke 7:21) that at the time when the messengers came to him, Jesus cured many of their infirmities, and plagues, and of evil spirits. An answer was, therefore, ready to the inquiries of John.