In this passage, the three episodes continue to explain the authority of Christ as God and also the Son of Man with the Holy Spirit. One particular verse that I’d like to focus on is verse 22.

But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead. (v.22)

Those God has chosen before time began are alive to God, but the rest are dead to God. All men are spiritually dead. Some say God is so loving and He did not kill Adam and Eve even though they ate the forbidden fruit. It is a poor interpretation. Adam and Eve became spiritually dead when they ate the fruit.

but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die. (Genesis 2:17)

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned— (Romans 5:12)

Even though you may think you have nothing to do with Adam and you are free from sins, God sees that all descendants of Adam are like Adam. If we put ourselves in Adam’s situation in the garden of Eden, we do the same thing as Adam did – eating the forbidden fruit. Anyone who thinks they could do better than Adam is a fool. Job, who thought he was better than Adam or any other men, were rebuked by God at the end of the Book of Job.

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom (Job 31:33)

Christ already knew who were His. And He did not trust in men because He could see everyone’s heart.

But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. (John 10:26-29)

But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people (John 2:24)

I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate My bread has lifted his heel against Me.’ (John 13:18)

When people approached Christ and said they wanted to follow Him, Christ saw who they were and what was in their heart. Many people became a Christian thinking Christianity will bring them material prosperity and reputation. Many think obeying the church authorities will guarantee their salvation. But Christ tells us that following Him costs everything that we possess on the earth. Even the eternal God did not have a place to lay His head on the earth. Earth is only a training place for the elect people. It will eventually be removed.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (Luke 21:33)

And those who are His also do not have a resting place on the earth. God became a man to make an eternal dwelling place for Himself. And that place is His people. Therefore, it was crucial that He saved His people from death. That work was done on the cross by Christ. Those who are not His remain dead. His people go through sufferings like Christ did on the earth.