HI David:
I sort of think of it like this...
Prior to Christ's death and resurrection there was just life and death, in the physical natural sense (first the natural, then the spiritual).
But Chirst, during His ministry, started to bring those things that are 'shadows' into the light.... and show us how 'death' is likened to 'sleep'.
He raised the physically DEAD.... to physical LIFE.... as an EXAMPLE of how the spiritually dead are raise to spiritual life in/through HIM.
He started to change the 'terminology':
Mat 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for
the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Mar 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep?
the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Luk 8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not;
she is not dead, but sleepeth.[/list:u]
He did this to indicate the RESURRECTION of the DEAD.
In the same way that the physically dead are resurrected... the SPIRITUALLY 'dead' are resurrected (passing from death to life).
and so death is likened to SLEEP... and those who are spiritually (or physically, for that matter) 'dead' are but 'asleep'... awaiting their 'resurrection' (either now or later)...
Christ said "let the dead bury their dead".... indicating that the 'dead' (those who 'sleep', spiritually) do walk and talk.... :lol:
Chrissie