You overlook the fact that death can also be a metaphorical term, as is proven by the scriptural "Let the dead bury the dead!"
Peace,
Bruce
Yes, Jesus was not talking about the 'literal dead' when he said let the dead bury the dead. However, was Lazarus at John chapter 11 literally dead or not? According to chapter 11, Lazarus was stone cold literally dead as a door nail.
John (11:11-14) Jesus likened being 'literally dead' to being in a deep sleep.
Isn't it so that a person is not conscious in such a sleep that they are not aware of what is going on around them?
Where did Jesus get the idea from that the 'literal or actual dead' are in a deep sleep-like state?
We know even by age 12 Jesus was well educated in the Hebrew Scriptures.
By the time of friend Lazarus death Jesus would have known the Psalms.
Such as:
6:5 that in death there is remembrance
13:3 the dead sleep the sleep of death
115:17 the dead do not praise God
146:4 at death thoughts or thinking perishes.
Jesus would have also known the writings of King David's son Solomon who wrote at Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 that the dead know nothing.
Also, Adam did not become a 'living soul' (Gen 2:7) until after Adam received the breath of life. Once Adam no longer had the breath of life, then Adam became a 'dead soul' or from dust, back to dust.
That is why Daniel (12:2,13) could write about the dead sleeping in the dust of the ground until resurrection day, or Jesus thousand-year day of ruling over earth when the literal sleeping dead will awaken to life. - Acts 24:15.