Jeremiah 44:19 - Homilies By S. Conway

The husband's responsibility.

"Did we make her cakes to worship her … without our men ?" These women pleaded that they had their husbands' sanction for what they did. It could not have been otherwise considering the subordinate position women occupied in Oriental nations. No doubt, therefore, the husbands and the male heads of families generally not only permitted, but even prompted these things. Hence it was some sort of excuse and defence for these women thus engaged in idolatrous worship. Such defence is allowed in human law. For the husband, by Christ's law as well as man's, is the head of the wife. If so, then the chief responsibility and the chief guiltiness on account of the sin of the household rest on the man at the head of it. The especial blessing of God was pronounced on Abraham because, says God, "I know him, that he will command his household after him." The anger of God came on Eli because he failed to do this. To escape such guilt, let husbands:

1 . Be in the Lord themselves .

2 . Marry only in the Lord .

3 . Be careful to maintain family religion .

4 . Set themselves to seek the grace of God's regenerating Spirit for all their households .—C.