The Salisbury Cathedral Clock

One of the oldest mechanical clocks in the world is the Salisbury Cathedral clock in England—a large, iron-framed timepiece dating from around 1386. One of the interesting features of the Salisbury Cathedral clock is that it doesn’t have a dial with numbers to indicate time. It was a “single strike” clock, striking a bell on the hour—two strikes for 2 o’clock, five strikes for 5 o’clock, etc. It was powered by two large stone weights and needed to be wound twice a day. Over the years the clock was modified, and, at the end of the 17th century, a pendulum and anchor was added to its operation.

There’s actually a debate as to whether the Salisbury Cathedral clock is the oldest mechanical clock in the world. There are several 14th century clocks, some destroyed, some lost, and some substantially modified. When a new clock was placed in the Salisbury Cathedral in 1884, the old one was set aside. Then in 1928, T.R. Robinson, an horological enthusiast, discovered the clock and believed it to be the timepiece mentioned in records as dating to 1386.

Our text for this evening is also debated among theologians as to the origins of Jesus. Some believe the reference in this verse to Christ means He must have been created at some point in time. Because of the many references in the Bible to Jesus being divine (Hebrews 1:5–9) and existing from everlasting times (John 1:1; John 8:58; Isaiah 9:6; 1 Timothy 6:15, 16, etc.), I look at the meaning of this passage through the whole of Scripture.

There is a clear parallel to wisdom and Jesus in this text. A better word for “possessed” is “begot me,” meaning “to establish.” In other words, Christ was installed or designated in the godhead as the One who would be directly involved in the creation of our world. Verse 22 says that wisdom (who we may understand as Jesus) was “before His works of old.” Hebrews 1:2 supports this view.

We may be confident, through the testimony of Scripture, that Christ existed before all time. Before clocks kept track of hours and days, before books recorded history, and before archaeologists dug up the most ancient of artifacts, Jesus existed. He is the divine Son of God from all eternity.

Additional reading: Proverbs 8:22–36

Key Bible Texts

The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. (Proverbs 8:22-23 KJV)