Taking and Partaking

“Partake” is a fuzzily Platonic word, but we pierce the fuzziness a bit by contrasting “partake” to “take.” When we “take” something, it’s no longer with the one we took it from; it’s with us. Tim Duncan might take a rebound away from an opposing player, or a child might take a toy from his sister. Taking means exchange.

Partaking happens when something can be taken without being lost by the takee. We can partake of someone’s words because he doesn’t lose them just because we’ve get ahold of them. We partake of the life of Jesus because His life isn’t diminished when we get a piece of it.