SkepticThinker
Veteran Member
I don't know where you're coming up with that. They gospel writers themselves don't even claim to be eyewitnesses.No, that is not generally accepted. There is a school of thought that says they weren't eyewitnesses, based upon the belief the texts didn't exist till around 140 AD. However there is very strong and significant evidence that the texts were written by 100 AD, and many, many scholars put the date to 50-80 AD and many of these people aren't believers, they have no axe to grind. A fragment of Mark was found with the dead sea scrolls, long before it was discovered , the contents of the cave were dated at 50 AD. So, the writers could very well have been eyewitnesses. There is significant evidence for me to believe that this is true, and my beliefs are true
The Book of Luke starts off by pointing out that it's not a firsthand account: "just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught." (Luke 1:2-4)
An account of an eyewitness account is not an eyewitness account. It's a second-hand account.