Featured Street Preacher Arrested

Okay, I see the "back and forth" going on here. First, I like to think about our legal right to speak - but this didn't happen in the United States. If I do that here, then the police would have no legal standing upon which to arrest me - and if I were the litigious type, a lawsuit would probably end with a result in my favor because of the subjectivity of it all. If he's in an area that has no regulation concerning public speech, then there is no law broken and no reason to be arrested.

So the conclusion I draw is that even though there were others making equal or greater noise, he alone was arrested not because of noise, but because the preaching itself was "a breach of peace."

Makes me think of the time when Jesus said he didn't come to bring peace in Matthew 10:34 - "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

- and people were offended at that.

 

Act 13:46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.



Act_17:17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.


18:6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."


Act 19:9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.


The continual pattern in the book of Acts, is that Paul goes to the local synagogue, his message is rejected, and then he abandons the synagogue and hits the public square to take his message to the gentiles.

Again, PUBLIC PREACHING is seen throughout the New Testament, and is the primary means of evangelism. Its what Jesus did (speaking in roadways, hillsides, and lakeshores), its what the apostles did, and it is what WE are commanded to do...

2Ti 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

...4:5 "fulfill your ministry, do the work of an evangelist" (literally, one who is a "gospel'er")

 

I'm pretty sure breaching the peace is, however, and breaking the law is not a good witness. Had he preached in a normal tone of voice, would he have been arrested? I don't know -- you know this guy, you tell me. Or has he even tried it?

My guess? Nope. Seeking publicity, not converted souls.

If they're enforcing the law -- and they are -- then they aren't harassing him. They're doing their job. Tell him to lower the volume a few decibels, and he won't have any problems.

 

Don't think so..

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Acts 9:20

And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. Acts 13:5

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them. Acts 13:14-15

So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Acts 13:42

Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. Acts 14:1

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. Acts 17:1, Acts 17:10

And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. Acts 18:4

And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. Acts 18:19

So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Acts 18:26

And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. Acts 19:8

Don't think so...

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues Matt. 4:23

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matt 9:35

Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. Matt 12:9

When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, Matt 13:54

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. Mark 1:21

And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. Mark 1:39

And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. Mark 6:2

And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. Luke 4:15-16

And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. Luke 4:44

Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. Luke 6:6

Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. Luke 13:10

Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. John 18:10

Yes, I realize that Jesus also taught and spoke outside. But "open air preaching" as we think of it today being the primary method of evangelizing? I don't think so. There was the sermon on the mount and he spoke when he fed the thousands. He would often be talking as he walked from town to town. A lot of his public speaking was in parables as well. I would not consider speaking while walking or telling of a parable to be comparative to open air preaching.

 

Salty, here's what they did earlier this year when their soapbox sermonizing was being drowned out by nearby store loudspeakers:

http://www.joshwilliamson.org/home/72-preaching-jesus-throughout-scotland.html

 

So ... why is he screaming now? If the police told the buskers and shops to stop using amplifiers, why does he need to shout?

Or, as I said, maybe he just wants to get arrested.

 

Apparently, you either don't read so well, or you just deny parts of scripture....

Act 13:46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.



Act_17:17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.


18:6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."


Act 19:9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.


The continual pattern in the book of Acts, is that Paul goes to the local synagogue, his message is rejected, and then he abandons the synagogue and hits the public square to take his message to the gentiles.

Again, PUBLIC PREACHING is seen throughout the New Testament, and is the primary means of evangelism. Its what Jesus did (speaking in roadways, hillsides, and lakeshores), its what the apostles did, and it is what WE are commanded to do...

2Ti 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.



What does Paul say about his ministry? Did he primarily preach to the Jews in the synagogues, or the Gentiles on the street, marketplace, etc.?


Gal_1:16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;


Paul says God revealed Himself to Paul, in order that Paul might hit the streets, and preach to the GENTILES, not in the synagogues...


Gal_2:2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.


Gal_2:8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),


I suggest you study a bit more and get back to us...

He wasn't just "talking" to throngs of people outside. That is ridiculous. The primary ministry we see of Jesus, in the New Testament, is preaching in the public sphere.