The word translated “has died / were dead” appears nine times in the Greek New Testament. It is used by Matthew 2:20; Mark 15:44; Luke 7:12; Luke 8:49; John 11:44; John 19:33; Acts 14:19; Acts 25:19; and 1 Timothy 5:6. All but one instance concern physical death; the sole metaphorical use, 1 Timothy 5:6, applies the idea of death to spiritual condition.

Narratives of Physical Death

1. Deliverance of the Messiah (Matthew 2:20)

An angel informs Joseph, “those seeking the child’s life are dead.” The completed state of death underscores God’s sovereign protection and timing.
2. Compassionate Miracles (Luke 7:12; Luke 8:49; John 11:44)

– At Nain, “a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother” (Luke 7:12).

– Jairus’s daughter is reported, “Your daughter has died” (Luke 8:49).

– Lazarus, four days in the tomb, comes forth, “the man who had died came out” (John 11:44).

Each scene magnifies Christ’s authority to reverse death.
3. The Passion (Mark 15:44; John 19:33)

Pilate learns Jesus “had already died” (Mark 15:44). Soldiers confirm that He “was already dead” (John 19:33). The perfect tense stresses the completed, undeniable reality of His death, forming the basis for the resurrection witness.
4. Apostolic Suffering (Acts 14:19)

Paul is stoned and dragged outside Lystra, the crowd “supposing him to be dead.” His subsequent recovery demonstrates divine preservation of His servant.
5. Legal Testimony before Rome (Acts 25:19)

Festus recounts Jewish accusations “about a certain Jesus who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.” The term frames the resurrection as the central dispute before imperial authorities.

Spiritual Death and Moral Warning

1 Timothy 5:6 applies the verb to a pleasure-seeking widow: “she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.” Physical life can coexist with spiritual death, anticipating the final judgment. The perfect tense indicates a settled state, urging repentance and holy living.

Theological Significance

• Finality: The perfect aspect expresses death as an accomplished, lasting condition, heightening the wonder whenever Christ reverses it.
• Verification: In the Passion narrative, the word guarantees Jesus truly died, safeguarding the gospel from claims of mere swoon.
• Contrast: The vocabulary allows Scripture to juxtapose physical demise with spiritual vitality, or vice versa, clarifying that true life is found only in union with Christ.
• Eschatology: Because Christ “has died” and risen, believers possess assurance that death’s apparent finality is temporary (compare 1 Thessalonians 4:14).

Pastoral and Missional Implications

• Comfort in Bereavement: The New Testament records of the widow’s son, Jairus’s daughter, and Lazarus offer hope that the One who conquers death cares personally for suffering families.
• Evangelistic Certainty: Apostolic preaching in Acts anchors the gospel on the historical fact that Jesus “had died” and now lives, providing a factual basis for faith.
• Ethical Wake-Up Call: 1 Timothy 5:6 warns that self-indulgence leads to a living death, calling the church to pursue godliness.

Historical Witness

Early Christian testimony portrayed Jesus’ death as incontrovertible. Roman officials (Pilate, Festus), hostile crowds (Lystra), and grieving families all affirm the reality of death, setting the stage for the early proclamation of resurrection power.

Doctrinal Connections

The occurrences of this verb intertwine with doctrines of:
• Incarnation and Atonement – Jesus truly died in the flesh.
• Resurrection – His victory over death validates the gospel.
• Regeneration – Spiritual death yields to new life through faith.
• Perseverance and Hope – Physical death is not the end for believers, but a gateway to resurrection glory.