Eyewitness To Jesus? The Gospel Authors

1 John chapter 1.1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We write this to make our joy complete.5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.this sounds like an eyewitness account

Rrhain:But 1 John wasn't written until decades after the fact. It certainly wasn't an eyewitness account.Judge:
I'd have to disagree here. I don't know how much plainer it could be written..."we saw Him...we touched him "

And the word became flesh. So says Johns gospel.1 john ..again..
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.Rrhain, what exactly do you think the writer touched with his hands?[This message has been edited by judge, 12-28-2003]

CA:
Udo Schnelle, in The History and Theology of the New Testament Writings, clearly rejects the idea of John as an eyewitness and dates his gospel to 100-110 CE.Judge:
oooh dear! Can you cite his reasons?BTW this is 1 John not the gospel of John