” There is a double trajectory in preaching. One trajectory is from God to us. This is the prophetic trajectory. The other trajectory is from us to us. This is the priestly trajectory. The ministry of the priest is preferred to that of a prophet because the prophet afflicts the comfortable and the priest comforts the afflicted. The priest asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there: The priest gives spiritual medicine and spiritual massages. Jesus the priest invites, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28). Instead of the priest offering a balm, the prophet indicts the people and delivers a bomb to those who are at ease in Zion. Preachers need to know when and how to use the bomb and the balm, depending upon whether people who are afflicted need to be comforted or whether people who are comfortable need to be afflicted. Preaching must have a double trajectory where the test speaks both a priestly and prophetic word.”
-Source: Robert Smith Jr., Doctrine That Dances, p. 77
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