No New Testament Epistle is more foundational to the Christian faith than Romans, and no chapter in Romans more basic than its first chapter. To very few chapters did Dr. Lloyd-Jones give more thought or more emphasis. He viewed it as the supreme demonstration of the necessity for the gospel, the announcement of divine truths worthy of the attention of the whole world.

In it the Apostle brings his argument concerning assurance of salvation to a grand climax. The way in which he advances surely from argument to argument, piling one upon another, is astonishing, and constitutes the supreme example of inspired logic. In doing so he brings us face to face with the fundamental theme of the Bible - God's plan and purpose of redemption conceived before time and the foundation of the world, and spanning the whole of human history from the original creation to the final glory.

What is perhaps most astonishing of all is that all this was done out of a primary pastoral concern, the Apostle's main object being to comfort and to help those early Christians in Rome who were enduring what he calls 'the sufferings of this present time'.

As is characteristic of all Paul's letters, doctrine and practical application are intertwined, reminding us that doctrine and theology should never be treated in isolation or regarded as an academic subject. The only comfort and consolation the Apostle has to offer his readers is based on doctrine. Every step and detail matters, and is of crucial importance in the development of the grand argument. To set the details and the broad principles in opposition is a sign of failure to understand the Apostle's method.

It is only as we follow him 'with the eyes of our own understanding being enlightened' that we shall be able to understand, and to be 'more than conquerors' face to face with the sufferings of our own times. God grant that these expositions may help many in that respect!"---from the author's Preface.

Insisting that these questions have been of more than theoretical interest throughout church history, Dr. Lloyd-Jones examines the function of government, the Christian's attitude to war and revolution, the lordship of Christ over church and state, the Christian's relationship to the law of God, the meaning of loving one's neighbor, and many related topics.

William Greenough Thayer Shedd (1820-1894) was both a congregational and, later, a Presbyterian pastor. He has a distinguished career as a Professor of English Literature prior to his work at the theological seminaries of Auburn, Andover, and finally at Union Seminary.

"When studying Romans, I usually reach for Shedd first. Highly valued in past generations, Shedd's careful treatment of the original text is succinct and yet richly suggestive of profitable lines of exposition. A must have for serious study of Paul's most important letter." Dr. Robert P. Martin, Pastor, Emmanuel Reformed Baptist Church, Seattle, Washington, Editor, Reformed Baptist Theological Review

"Believing that the Epistle to the Romans is 'an inspired system of theology,' Shedd sought to give particular attention to the great doctrines of original sin in chapter 5, indwelling sin in chapters 7 and 8, and election and reprobation in chapters 9, 10 and 11. The merit of Shedd's commentary is found in his fresh examination of the Greek text, combined with an appreciative interaction with the best of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Reformed exegesis, and his abiding commitment to the traditional Reformed concept that the intended fruit of exegesis is a systematic statement of religious truth." Rev. Sherman Isbell.

The Boice Commentary Series combines careful scholarship and clear communication in a verse-by-verse and section by section reading of various biblical texts. James Montgomery Boice, a former pastor, combines thoughtful interpretation with contemporary insight for daily living, and explains the meaning of the text and relates the text's concerns to the church, Christianity, and the world in which we live.

The Boice Commentary Series combines careful scholarship and clear communication in a verse-by-verse and section by section reading of various biblical texts. James Montgomery Boice, a former pastor, combines thoughtful interpretation with contemporary insight for daily living, and explains the meaning of the text and relates the text'sconcerns to the church, Christianity, and the world in which we live.