Matthew 11:4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Go, and shew John, &c.— This answer is a clear reference to a signal prophesy of Isaiah concerning the Messiah; and therefore it is manifest that Jesus referred the inquirers for conviction at once to the evidence of prophesies and miracles. The finger of God is manifest in the whole occurrence. It could not be by chance that John sent his disciples to propose this important question to our Lord, at the very time when he was enabled to give the fullest satisfaction to it, and to confirm in so remarkable a manner the testimony of the Baptist. It could not be by chance, that inquiry was made after his divine character, at that critical period when he was displaying the strongest marks of it; in the same hour when he was engaged in curing many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits, and in giving sight to those who had been born blind, (See Luke 7:22.) We see then the propriety of this inquiry, without deducing it from any supposed doubts ordiscontents in the mind of the Baptist himself, or even any incredulity in his disciples. John had frequently declared our Lord to be the Messiah, which was indeed the grand purpose of his own mission.Butwithouthisdoubting,orhisdisciplesdisbelievingthistestimony,theymust all alike have been sensible that this testimony could not have its full force, till it should be confirmed by the event, and till our Lord should prove himself to be what John asserted him to be. The prophets had described the Messiah: John had pointed out our Saviour to the world, as the person by them described. His testimony, therefore, must have been overthrown, had it not afterwards appeared that all things which John spake of this man were true. Hence it was natural, nay, it was necessary, that he should send his disciples to our Lord, that they might see the prophetical descriptions of the Messiah, and the testimony of their Master verified in him. And when the business of his own mission was accomplished, when his doctrine and his testimony of our Lord's divine character had made the due impressions upon the people; when the report of the mighty works of Christhad reached him in person, and he perceived that our Saviour began to display that divine power which the prophets had ascribed to the Messiah; he then saw that it was the season pointed out to him by Providence for sending his disciples to make this inquiry. See Rotheram on the Origin of Faith.