In biblical terminology, the term "partaker" refers to one who shares in, participates in, or is a partner in something. This concept is significant in both the Old and New Testaments, where it often denotes a spiritual or communal sharing in divine blessings, sufferings, or responsibilities.

Old Testament Context

While the specific term "partaker" is more prevalent in the New Testament, the concept is present in the Old Testament through the idea of communal participation in the covenantal blessings and responsibilities given to Israel. For example, the Israelites were partakers of the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, sharing in both its blessings and obligations (Genesis 17:7-8).

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the Greek word often translated as "partaker" is "koinōnos," which implies fellowship or partnership. This term is used in various contexts to describe the shared life and experiences of believers in Christ.

1. Partakers of the Divine Nature: In 2 Peter 1:4, believers are described as "partakers of the divine nature," indicating that through God's promises, Christians share in His divine attributes, escaping the corruption of the world: "Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

2. Partakers in Christ's Sufferings: The New Testament also speaks of believers as partakers in the sufferings of Christ. In 1 Peter 4:13, it is written, "But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory." This sharing in suffering is seen as a means of spiritual growth and future glory.

3. Partakers of the Holy Spirit: Hebrews 6:4 refers to those who have been "partakers of the Holy Spirit," highlighting the intimate relationship and shared experience believers have with the Spirit of God.

4. Partakers of the Gospel: The Apostle Paul frequently uses the concept of partaking in relation to the Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9:23, he states, "I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings." Here, Paul emphasizes his commitment to the Gospel and the shared blessings that come from it.

5. Partakers of the Heavenly Calling: Hebrews 3:1 calls believers "partakers of the heavenly calling," urging them to consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of their confession. This highlights the shared calling and destiny of believers in Christ.

Theological Implications

The concept of being a partaker underscores the communal and participatory nature of the Christian faith. It emphasizes that believers are not isolated individuals but are united in Christ, sharing in His life, sufferings, and glory. This participation is both a privilege and a responsibility, calling believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling and to support one another in the faith.

Practical Application

Understanding oneself as a partaker encourages believers to engage actively in their faith communities, support one another, and embrace both the joys and challenges of the Christian life. It calls for a life of holiness, unity, and mutual edification, reflecting the shared nature of the Christian journey.1. (n.) One who partakes; a sharer; a participator.

2. (n.) An accomplice; an associate; a partner.

4830. summetochos -- partaking with, subst. a joint partaker
... a joint partaker. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: summetochos Phonetic
Spelling: (soom-met'-okh-os) Short Definition: jointly partaking Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4830.htm - 6k

4791. sugkoinonos -- partaking jointly of
... partaking jointly of. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: sugkoinonos
Phonetic Spelling: (soong-koy-no-nos') Short Definition: a partaker with, co ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4791.htm - 7k

4790. sugkoinoneo -- to have fellowship with
... Verb Transliteration: sugkoinoneo Phonetic Spelling: (soong-koy-no-neh'-o) Short
Definition: I have fellowship with Definition: I am a partaker with, have ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4790.htm - 7k

2844. koinonos -- a sharer
... Word Origin from koinos Definition a sharer NASB Word Usage partaker (1), partakers
(1), partner (2), partners (2), sharers (4). companion, partaker, partner. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2844.htm - 7k

2841. koinoneo -- to have a share of
... of, have fellowship with. Cognate: 2841 -- to participate (share in), as
an ("partaker"). See 2842 (). Word Origin from koinonos ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2841.htm - 7k

4829. summerizo -- to have a share in (mid.)
... be partaker with. Middle voice from sun and merizo; to share jointly, ie Participate
in -- be partaker with. see GREEK sun. see GREEK merizo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4829.htm - 6k

3353. metochos -- sharing in
... fellow, partaker, partner. From metecho; participant, ie (as noun) a sharer; by
implication, an associate -- fellow, partaker, partner. see GREEK metecho. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3353.htm - 7k

3335. metalambano -- to partake of
... to partake of, share. From meta and lambano; to participate; genitive case, to accept
(and use) -- eat, have, be partaker, receive, take. see GREEK meta. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3335.htm - 7k

482. antilambano -- to take instead of, take hold of
... help, partake, support. From anti and the middle voice of lambano; to take hold
of in turn, ie Succor; also to participate -- help, partaker, support. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/482.htm - 7k

3348. metecho -- to partake of, share in
... partake, take part, use. From meta and echo; to share or participate; by implication,
belong to, eat (or drink) -- be partaker, pertain, take part, use. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3348.htm - 7k

As the Flesh is a Partaker with the Soul in all Human Conduct, So ...
... Chapter XV."As the Flesh is a Partaker with the Soul in All Human Conduct,
So Will It Be in the Recompense of Eternity. Come now ...
/.../tertullian/on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter xv as the flesh is.htm

How Art Thou Admonished and Assured in the Lord's Supper, that ...
... Lord's Day 28 Question 75 How art thou admonished and assured in the Lord's Supper,
that thou art a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on ...
/.../various/the heidelberg catechism /question 75 how art thou.htm

The Mystical Union with Immanuel.
... Scripture. What St. Peter calls "to become partaker of the divine nature" is
called in another place, to become the children of God. But ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxvi the mystical union with.htm

V. ...
... V.1-4. The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness
of the sufferings of Christ, and partaker of the glory which shall be ...
/.../the epistles of st peter and st jude preached and explained/chapter v v .htm

1 Timothy v. 21-23
... nothing by partiality. Lay hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker
of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. Drink no longer ...
/.../homily xvi 1 timothy v.htm

Epistle ix. --To Sixtus ii.
... esteemed as a believer, and who before my ordination, and, if I am not deceived,
before even the episcopate of Heraclas himself, had been a partaker of the ...
/.../dionysius/the works of dionysius/epistle ix to sixtus ii.htm

The Will of God is the Higher Cause of all Corporeal Change. This ...
... of health; and a soul breathed into it governs this body, and that soul a rational
one; which, therefore, although changeable, yet can be partaker of that ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 2 the will of god.htm

Petilianus Said: "And that None who is a Layman May Claim to Be...
... But in that he says, "Be not partaker of other men's sins," [2311] he means,
Be not partaker voluntarily, or with consent. And hence ...
/.../chapter 107 242 petilianus.htm

"If So be that the Spirit of God Dwell in You. Now if any Man have ...
... his Son down among men; and the Son, out of his love, to take on our flesh, and
so fill up that distance with his low condescendence, to be partaker of flesh ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxv if so be.htm

Letter Xcviii. (AD 408. )
... which brings salvation, that so soon as he who owed his first birth to others, acting
under the impulse of natural instincts, has been made partaker of the ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter xcviii a d 408.htm

Partaker (10 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Partaker (10 Occurrences). ... 1 Corinthians 9:23 Now I do
this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. ...
/p/partaker.htm - 9k

Fellow-partaker (3 Occurrences)
Fellow-partaker. Fellow-members, Fellow-partaker. Fellow-partakers .
Multi-Version Concordance Fellow-partaker (3 Occurrences). ...
/f/fellow-partaker.htm - 7k

Partake (19 Occurrences)
... (WEY). 1 Timothy 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other
men's sins: keep thyself pure. (Root in KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS). ...
/p/partake.htm - 12k

Partakers (23 Occurrences)

/p/partakers.htm - 13k

Nourishing (3 Occurrences)
... Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild
olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root ...
/n/nourishing.htm - 7k

Joint (12 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS). 1 Corinthians 9:23 Now I do this for the sake of the
Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. (WEB ASV). ...
/j/joint.htm - 12k

Laboureth (8 Occurrences)
... us, and laboureth. (KJV). 2 Timothy 2:6 The husbandman that laboureth must
be first partaker of the fruits. (KJV). Proverbs 16:26 ...
/l/laboureth.htm - 8k

Grafted (4 Occurrences)
... Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild
olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root ...
/g/grafted.htm - 8k

Gospel's (3 Occurrences)
... KJV ASV WBS NAS). 1 Corinthians 9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake,
that I might be partaker thereof with you. (KJV ASV WBS). ...
/g/gospel's.htm - 7k

Wast (84 Occurrences)
... Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild
olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the ...
/w/wast.htm - 33k

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