You may all remember the movie, “A Few Good Men.” At the beginning of the movie, a Marine, named William Santiago, is tied up and beaten in the middle of the night. He is later found dead. Two other Marines, Dawson and Downey, are accused of murder, and are on trial. The lawyer assigned to their case – JAG Office Daniel Kaffee – is known for striking plea deals, and not ever having spent time in court. But his supervisor realizes that something is wrong, and wants him to investigate further. Instead, he strikes a deal with the prosecutor. The two men on trial, however, demand that he argue the case, as they say that they were ordered to carry out this “discipline” – this “Code Red” – of the other Marine by the base commander Colonel Nathan Jessup. The dead Marine had repeatedly reported violations to the base commander, and nothing had been done, so he had gone over the base commander’s head to ask for a transfer to a new base. Kaffe, at first, decides that he will try and get out of trying the case, but then realizes that he had been chosen for the case because of his track record for plea deals. If he struck a deal, he would be participating in a cover up. So he goes to court, and argues against the Colonel, trying to prove that the base commander had ordered this beating, this “Code Red,” of Private William Santiago.
This sets up the famous scene where during cross-examination, Colonel Jessup asks, ‘You want answers?”
Kaffee says, “I want the truth.”
And Colonel Jessup yells, “You can’t handle the truth!”
Kaffee finally forces him to admit that he ordered the beating of this marine, Santiago. And then the base commander Colonel Jessup launches into a tirade – the truth, according to him – about how he was in the right, and no one had the right to second-guess him. That he alone could make the decisions that save lives, and that if he hadn’t ordered this “discipline” of Santiago, more lives would have been lost, because in his mind, Santiago was a “weak link.” In reality, Colonel Jessup resented the fact that he had to keep his order a secret from those in the government and the rest of the world, because he believed that he was the law, and didn’t need to answer to anyone.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking to the assembled crowds – which, we hear at the beginning of the chapter – were trampling on each other just to hear him. That’s how much they wanted to see and hear Jesus. And in this passage, Jesus is telling this crowd that they know how to interpret the weather just by looking at the clouds, but they can’t seem to figure out how to interpret the signs of the times.
And what are the signs of the times? Well, right at the beginning of the passage, Jesus tells them that he has come to cast fire on the earth – but not only that, he wishes it were already kindled! Then he tells them that he did not come to bring peace to the world. Instead, he came to bring a sword. To divide families at the core, so that mothers and fathers are divided from even their kids.
That’s some strong language! Especially for someone we refer to as the Prince of Peace. But, the important part is that none of this will happen until he is crucified. Until he has been crucified and risen from the dead. None of this will happen until he has ascended into glory. This is the baptism that he is referring to: “I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!” These things that he has told them, they are coming – but they haven’t happened yet.
Jesus had previously told his disciples that he would suffer many things. That he would be rejected by the elders and chief priest and the scribes. And then he would be raised again on the third day.
This leads us to the question: If Jesus was going to suffer, be tortured and die, if Jesus was going to be rejected by the rulers of the land – those awaiting the Messiah – and the people along with him, then what was Jesus going on about? Why speak of casting fire on the earth? Why talk about dividing families?
Well, we know that in the first century, Judea was under Roman rule, and many of the leaders and the people were hoping for a Messiah who would be a powerful king, one who would save them from the Roman occupation, and who would restore Israel to its former glory.
Jesus is telling them that they know how to interpret the weather, but they can’t seem to interpret the sign – the big, human shaped sign – standing right in front of them. The Messiah they were waiting for was right here. But they couldn’t see it. Because what they wanted was someone who was above the law, someone who would make the law. They wanted a strong and mighty warrior, and instead Jesus will be a crucified king. They wanted a Colonel Nathan Jessup – one who could order others to be “disciplined” for being weak – and instead they were going to get a Private William Santiago – a man tortured, beaten, and left to die. … They wanted a kingdom, but they didn’t want the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus would bring them. This may be the way it works in this world, Jesus is saying, but this is not the way that things work in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is basically looking at this collection of people and saying, “You can’t handle the Truth!” The Truth was standing in front of them, and they were looking right past him to what they wanted, and trying to squeeze Jesus into the mold they had prepared for him. A mold based on wishful thinking, and not on the Truth.
So, then, what’s all this talk about fire, and about dividing families?
For a people who wanted a king to come and transform their nation, Jesus is telling them that he will transform their hearts. Rather than getting a kingdom, ruled by a tyrant, they will get the Kingdom of God, ruled by a God who transforms their hearts and minds by the fire of the Holy Spirit. And for those that desire a superficial peace, brought on by this strongman Messiah, they will see what it means when Jesus transforms the hearts and minds of those who follow him and divides them from those who reject him. And the dividing line, the sword, will be the Sword of Truth, that cuts deep into the hearts of those who hear and believe.
In one sense, this is ironic. Jesus is telling them that they want a strongman – as they define it – but Jesus is making the point that the real strength will come in the way that God has planned it. He is telling them that they want to see a sword, and that they will see a sword, but it will cut and divide those things they least expect. They want the king, the Messiah, to cut and divide the enemy. But instead, the Messiah will cut and divide them into those who can and those who can’t handle the Truth.
It’s not a threat, but a description of the way things will happen, once people’s hearts and minds are opened to the Truth of Jesus. Mothers will believe, and daughters will reject Jesus. Fathers will believe, and sons will go their own way. Daughters- and sons-in-law will believe, but their children and parents will reject the Truth. Because it’s not easy to accept that the kingdom of God enters the world through the beaten, tortured, and crucified body. It’s not easy to accept that there is strength in sacrifice or power in peaceful resistance.
At the end of the trial in the movie, Colonel Jessup is arrested. The two marines who had beaten William Santiago are freed from punishment for the murder, but are charged with “conduct unbecoming,” and are dishonorably discharged. Private Downey can’t understand why, because they didn’t do anything wrong; they were following orders, after all. But Lance Corporal Dawson turns to him and says, “Yeah we did. We were supposed to fight for people who couldn’t fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willy.”
This world is full of injustice. Of lies, masquerading as the truth. Of people looking for the mighty to prevail, while the weak are punished simply for being weak. Of people rejecting the King of Kings because they want a strongman. One who believes that he is above the law, or that he is the law. Of people who say they want justice, but really mean vengeance.
That may be the way of the world. But the Kingdom of Heaven lives in the truth of a crucified God who brings transformation and peace through a sword that pierces until it divides the soul from the spirit, bone from marrow, and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Where do we fall along this spectrum of Truth? Do we want someone like Colonel Jessup, or would we rather be like Lance Corporal Dawson, who came to understand that real justice means standing up for those who cannot fight for themselves? That it is the meek who shall inherit the earth, that the merciful are the ones who will receive mercy, and that the peacemakers will be called Children of God?
[This sermon was delivered at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Wickenburg, AZ on August 17, 2025.]
