Bio

Rev. Dr. David Instone-Brewer, a British Baptist minister, was educated in Cambridge (PhD) and Cardiff (BD). After a decade as a pastor in Wales, he now holds an academic post at Tyndale House, Cambridge. His two research specialties are the Jewish background of the New Testament and software for Biblical studies. He has written books on divorce and other New Testament teachings which are illuminated by ancient Jewish documents. Dr. Instone-Brewer has been on the CBT since 2005.

Education

Cardiff University, B.D. Honors
University of Cambridge, Ph.D.

Publications
Academic Publications:

1991: “Mene Mene Teqel Uparsin: Daniel 5.25 in Cuneiform” (Tyndale Bulletin 1991 42.2 pp. 310-316).
1992: Techniques and Assumptions in Jewish Exegesis Before 70 CE. (Mohr & Siebeck, Tübingen, Vol.30 of Texte und Studien zum Antiken Judentum).
1992: “1 Corinthians 9.9-11: A Literal Interpretation of ‘Do Not Muzzle the Ox’” (New Testament Studies 38 1992 p554-565). (pre-pub version)
1996: “Three Weddings and a Divorce – God’s marriage to Judah, Israel and the Church” (Tyndale Bulletin 47, 1996, 1-26).
1996: “Jesus and the Psychiatrists” in The Unseen World: Christian Reflections on Angles, Demons and the Heavenly Realm Ed Anthony N.S.Lane (Baker Books, Grand Rapids, Paternoster, Cumbria, 1996) pp. 133-148.(pre-pub version)
1997: “Deuteronomy 24:1-4 and the Origin of the Jewish Divorce Certificate”, (Journal of Jewish Studies 49, 1998, 230-243) (pre-pub version)
1998: “Nomological Exegesis in Qumran ‘Divorce’ Texts”, (Revue de Qumran, 18, 1998, 561-579) (pre-pub version)
1999: “Jewish women divorcing their husbands in early Judaism: the background to papyrus Se’elim 13″, (Harvard Theological Review, 92, 1999, 349-57) (pre-pub version)
1999: Consultant editor on the Gospels and three articles in the New Lion Handbook of the Bible (Oxford: Lion, 1999)
1999: “Comfort” in the New dictionary of Biblical theology eds., T. Desmond Alexander, Brian S. Rosner. consulting editors: D.A. Carson, Graeme Goldworthy, Steve Carter (Leicester. Inter-Varsity. 2000 ) (pre-pub version)
1999: “The Use of Rabbinic Sources in Gospel Studies”, (Tyndale Bulletin 50, 1999, 281-298)
2000: “Jesus’ Old Testament Basis for Monogamy”, in The Old Testament in the New Testament: Essays in Honour of J.L.North ed. Steve Moyise, JNTS Supp 189 (Sheffield: Sheffield Ac Press, 2000) 75-105 (pre-pub version)
2000: “Jesus’s Last Passover in the Synoptics and in John”, (Expository Times, 112, 2001, 122-123) (pre-pub version)
2001: “1 Corinthians 7 in the light of the Graeco-Roman Marriage and Divorce Papyri” (Tyndale Bulletin, 52, 2001, 101-116).
2001: “1 Corinthians 7 in the light of the Jewish Greek and Aramaic Marriage and Divorce Papyri” (Tyndale Bulletin, 52, 2001, 225-243)
2002: “Choosing a Legal System in Early Judaism” in Review of Rabbinic Judaism, Ancient, Medieval, Modern (Brill, forthcoming). (pre-pub version)
2002: Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible: the social and literary context (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002)
2003: “The Two Asses of Zechariah 9:9 in Matthew 21″ (Tyndale Bulletin, 54, 2003, 87-98)
2003: “The Eighteen Benedictions and the Minim Before 70 CE” (Journal of Theological Studies, NS, 54, 2003, 25-44) (pre-pub version)
2004: “Theology of Hermeneutics”, in Encyclopedia of Midrash: biblical interpretation in formative Judaism eds. Jacob Neusner and Alan J. Avery Peck (Brill, 2004) (pre-pub version)
2004: “James as a Sermon on the Trials of Abraham” in The New Testament in Its First Century Setting: Essays on Context and Background in Honour of B.W. Winter on his 65th Birthday, eds P.J. Williams, Andrew D. Clarke, Peter M. Head, David Instone-Brewer (Eerdmans, 2004): 250-268. (pre-pub version)
2004: “Comparing Neusner’s and Guggenheimer’s Translations of the Jerusalem Talmud” (Review of Rabbinic Judaism 7, 2004, 176-184) (pre-pub version)
2004: Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament, vol.1 Prayer and Agriculture(Online Version) (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004).
2005: “Rabbinic Writings in New Testament Research” in vol.II of The Handbook of the Study of the Historical Jesus (4 vols, eds. Tom Holmén & Stanley E. Porter; Leiden: Brill, 2006) (pre-pub version)
2006: “The Scandal of Equality in Jesus’ Ethical Teaching” in Priscilla Papers 20 (2006) 2:17-22. (pre-pub version)
2008: “Balaam-Laban as the key to the Old Testament quotations in Matthew 2″ in Built upon the Rock: studies in the Gospel of Matthew, ed. Daniel M. Gurtner (Grand Rapids, Mich.; Cambridge, U.K. : Eerdmans, 2008) 207-227. (pre-pub version)
2009: “Jewish Associations in Roman Palestine: Evidence from the Mishnah” by David Instone-Brewer and Philip A. Harland (JGRChJ 5, 2009) (pre-pub version)
2009: “Review Article: Richard M. Davidson’s Flame of Yahweh: A Theology of Sexuality in the Old Testament” by David Instone-Brewer (Andrews University Seminary Studies, 46, 2008, 245-250) (pre-pub version)
2009: “Infanticide and the apostolic decree of Acts 15″ (Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. 52, 2009, 301-321) (pre-pub version)

Less-academic Publications:

2001: Divorce and remarriage in the 1st and 21st Century, Grove Biblical Studies booklet (Cambridge: Grove Books, 2001).
2003: Divorce and Remarriage in the Church: Biblical Solutions for Pastoral Realities (Carlisle, Cumbria: Paternoster Press 2003 & Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, USA 2007).
2003: “Divorce for ‘Any Cause’”, Whitefield Briefing (8.5, Dec. 2003).
2005: “The historical Jesus among the rabbis : prayer, divorce and earthly rewards” in Anvil 22 (2005) 173-182 (pre-pub version)
2006: “What God has Joined Together” in Christian Reflection: Marriage (Baylor University, 2006).
2007: “Jesus’ Sabbath Dispute with Pharisees in a Cornfield” (Jerusalem Perspective)
2007: “What God has Joined”, Christianity Today (Oct. 2007) 26-29.
2007: “Not lost in translation”, Christianity magazine (Dec. 2007) 28-31
2007: “Evangelical Separation Anxiety: What the Bible says about Divorce”, The Wall Street Journal (Apr.6 2007).
2007: (Time magazine interview): “An Evangelical Rethink on Divorce?” by David Van Biema, Time (Nov. 5th 2007).
2008: “Links with Tabernacles and Hanukkah in the Gospel Accounts of Palm Sunday” (Jerusalem Perspective)
2008: “Rabbinic Reflections on Living Sacrifices at Romans 12:1″ (Jerusalem Perspective)
2009: “Scandals from the New Testament” (a series of articles in Christianity)

Additional Information

Research Areas

• Rabbinic background to the New Testament with special interest in dating rabbinic sources.
• Electronic resources for Biblical Studies.

Member

• Tyndale Fellowship
• Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas
• British Association for Jewish Studies
• Society for Biblical Literature