I already quoted, the word ‘sleep’ doesn’t appear.
The word, in greek is ‘repose’, that they rest.
The only example we have of someone who had died talking to someone who is alive is at the transfiguration, and Moses wasn’t sleeping.
>>The only example we have of someone who had died talking to someone who is alive is at the transfiguration, and Moses wasn’t sleeping.<<
I didn’t want to get deep into this, but I’ll at least brush the issue:
In the transfiguration event, something very “supernatural” was going on. That is why I quoted the scripture describing the event. It is also why I used the word “portal”. We only know how the scripture describes the event. And I believe that it is quite possible that while Jesus was talking with Moses and and Elias that the disciples may not have been able to hear what they were saying because they were not really physically “there” in the sense that the disciples were.
And hew we get into my definition of our “reality” vs eternity: Time is a river that flows in an ocean called eternity.
That is, Moses and Elias were in eternity - outside of time itself - and Jesus was transfigured so as to, while still in his earthly body, pass into this realm, and it was followed by God’s words about Jesus.
This scripture has nothing whatsoever to do with those of us who are not Jesus talking to the dead. Nada. Zip.
This scripture is about God, through a seriously miraculous sign, declaring that Jesus is His son, in whom He is well pleased. I also believe a hint about this time thing is the phrase “before the beginning of the world, I am.”
We are discussing something we cannot fully comprehend. I like to keep the scripture within the context of what it is discussing and limit, somewhat, its application to apparently irrelevant events.
Again, I use the example in “The Life o Brian” where he loses a sandal and his followers interpret it to mean they are to also walk with only one sandal.
Off topic, I wonder if the writers at the old TV show "Bewitched" were thinking of Samuel when they named Samantha's mother ENDORa?
The only example we have of someone who had died talking to someone who is alive is at the transfiguration, and Moses wasn’t sleeping.