According to Ephesians 2:1 and Luke 9:60, did Jesus proclaim the kingdom of God to the spiritually dead?
In Ephesians 2:1 and Luke 9:60, the Bible discusses the concept of spiritual death and how it relates to the proclamation of the kingdom of God by Jesus.
In Ephesians 2:1, it states that before a person becomes a follower of Christ, they are spiritually dead in their sins and separated from God. However, through faith in Jesus, they can be made alive and reconciled with God. This verse implies that before coming to faith in Christ, people are unable to understand the true nature of the kingdom of God and its significance.
In Luke 9:60, Jesus tells a man to let the dead bury their own dead, implying that those who are spiritually dead cannot fully comprehend the message of the kingdom of God. However, it is important to note that this statement was made in response to a man who was hesitant to follow Jesus because he wanted to bury his father first. Jesus was emphasizing the urgency and importance of following him, rather than suggesting that the spiritually dead cannot receive the message of the kingdom of God at all.
Therefore, while it is true that the spiritually dead may struggle to fully grasp the message of the kingdom of God, Jesus still proclaimed it to them. In fact, Jesus often reached out to those who were considered outcasts and sinners, such as tax collectors and prostitutes, to share the message of the kingdom of God with them. It was through his teachings and miracles that many of these individuals were able to come to faith and be born again.