[Greek] ἐκλείπω (ekleipō), [Latin] deficere: to eclipse, to fail, to leave out, to cease, to die, to omit, to end; Lk.16:9, Lk.22:32, Lk.23:45, Heb.1:12
Parable of the Unjust Steward: painting by Marinus van Reymerswaele (1540). This parable challenges one to make friends by prudently (and productively) using wealth in helping others. By doing so, one can begin to accumulate lasting spiritual treasures in heaven.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to leave out, to pass over, to abandon, to fail, to eclipse, to die, to faint, to be lacking, to be left, to depart, end, and to postpone.
Aeschlyus’ Prometheus Bound 827: “The weary tale I shall leave out.”
Demosthenes’ Against Aristogiton 1: “He held the threat of impeachment over Damocles.”
Herodotus’ The Histories 1.169: “The Ionians who left their native lands.”
Thucydides’ Histories of the Peloponnesian War 2.74: “The Plataeans resolved not to desert the Athenians.”
Sophocles’ Philoctetes 911: “Leave me behind and sail away.”
Xenophon’s Anabasis 7.4.2 “The inhabitants abandoning their homes.”
Lysias’ Accusation of Calumny 8.16: “The pretexts you clearly invented about me have failed you.”
Thucydides’ Histories of the Peloponnesian War 2.28: “An eclipse of the sun.”
Antiphon’s Against the Stepmother for Poisoning 1.21: “I return to that place in history where it earlier left of.”
Plato’s Menexenus 234b: “For the vigor which once I had has gone from me.”
New Testament: This term means to fail, to end, and to cease. In the Parable of the Dishonest Steward, the steward’s dishonesty is illustrated by his squandering of his master’s property. The dishonest steward attempts to ingratiate himself with his master. The master commends the steward for prudently using these resources to write new notes for the master’s debtors. Knowing that Peter will later take a pre-eminent role, Jesus prays that Simon’s (Peter’s) faith will not fail. Unlike the heavens and earth, the Lord remains the same. At the time of Jesus’ death, darkness came over the world because of an eclipse of the sun.
Scripture:
“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth (mammon), so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Lk.16:9
Mammon fails because it does not last. One must make prudent use of one’s earthly material wealth. Making friends means showing kindness (mercy) using these goods for the poor and less fortunate. These earthly goods are finite in contrast to the permanent heavenly spiritual treasures. Through the charitable use of these earthly material goods, one can accumulate permanent spiritual treasures in heaven. Eternal dwellings represent the heavenly abodes.
“But I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” Lk.22:32
Jesus already anticipates the later prominence that Simon (Peter) will play among the disciples. Peter will later become the leader of the disciples. However, Peter will shortly deny Jesus three times.
“Because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.” Lk.23:45
At the time of Jesus’s death, the sky darkened because of an eclipse of the sun. Jesus’ death and resurrection remove the barrier between man and God’s domain.
Etymology: The Greek verb ekleipo essentially means to leave (-leipo) out (ek-). The Latin eclipsis is a darkness or a failing of appearing. The Latin verb deficere means to fail, to lack, and to end. The Latin defectus is the present participle of deficere. Essentially, a defect is some form of a failure.
Eclipse, deficient, deficit, defect
It was interesting to discover the many varied and nuanced meanings of this term which can be applicable in any time in history. Holding the threat of impeachment over someone is quite recognizable. Assigning pretexts (perceptions) to others may either fail or be destructive. In addition to astronomical bodies, eclipsing can now apply to people, ideas, and movements.
This term is quite extensively used in the Old Testament. I did not want to eclipse the overall purpose of this post by showing the numerous scriptural examples.
In the New Testament, Lk. 16:9 sometimes creates confusion (for some) about why the master praises the prudent efforts of the dishonest steward. Jesus recognizes that temporary earthly material resources (mammon) can be used to accumulate long lasting spiritual treasures in heaven. This parable challenges others to make friends (using these resources) in helping the poor (less fortunate) with generosity. This also provides further scriptural evidence that faith alone is inadequate. Works are also required. Jesus already anticipates Peter’s pre-eminence among the disciples.
Update: We are already seeing that many politicians (both Republicans and Democrats) are just hoping that President Trump will go away. However, their desires already have been eclipsed by President Trump’s continued support of many Americans. As a result, several Republicans, who had voted to convict President Trump, have been censured by their respective constituents.
Finally, I did not want to leave out the fact that Lk.23:44-45 explains why during Lent we have the Stations of the Cross and the Veneration of the Cross at 3:00pm.