We have his letters. Saul of Tarsus AKA Paul. Born in what is now Turkey in about 5CE. His history is well documented in the Bible up until his martyrdom by Nero in 66CE.
Not an amalgamation of people but a real person. Just as Jesus was.
DISCLAIMER: I AM AN ATHIEST
That Bible is no way near historically accurate. Example: they say 5he figure existed in time of Lysanias (died 35bc) and King Herod (4bc) which is why they moved him back to 6bc yet still missed the 7bc census and Lysanias era.
They swaped Yehuda and Theudas by saying Theudas (died 45ad) died before Yehuda (died 6bc). They sell the son of Mary as 5he AD era christ even though it's a 100bc dated character.
THE NT proves Saul is not the Later Paul.
Jesus and Paul change names because combined characters need a new name.
Even the Paul story hints to the confused christs when James and Paul seem to argue that each was teaching another christ then they.
It's very difficult to say what is fact and what is fiction.
There is no definitive proof of ANY point of view.
Jesus and Elijah have been proposed to be one and the same individual. Simply Jesus is Elijah reincarnated. (which was a common belief in those days. Reincarnation, that is.)
John the Baptist was a key figure. Some would say more central the Jesus himself.
We can chase our tails but in the end, it's all hear say and obfuscation and scholars argue over these things. The common man has NO CHANCE at this truth. He has to mow the lawn and get the kids to school.
In the end, it's you and your quiet moments of contemplation.
I bow out. But your posts have offered me food for thought and for that I thank you!
Yes you are correct Jesus(or rather one of the many christs) first followed John who was seen as the Righteous one, but the kicker is Salome was a friend and follower of Jesus who sent John to be beheaded, therefore Jesus was probably involved in the murder, so he could steal his flock.
Proof is in the surviving sect of John the Baptist which you can research under the Sabian sect called MANDEANS.
MANDEANS claim Jesus was the false wicked prophet who had John the righteous killed & stole his followers. They also claimed a wicked woman had written a forbidden book that they burned (could this be Q (said to be central source)or could that Woman be Mary Magdelan or Salome?
Mandeans also teach similar physical(not spiritual) mystical light teachings as the Nazarenes in the NT=Luciferous light teachings. The RCC calls this the mystery of Luminous (luciferous) light and uses
icons of this Luciferian teaching with pics of Jesus or sacred heart with mysterious rays of light eminating from them.
That's why the NT says:
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star (LUCIFER)rises in your hearts.” -- 2 Peter 1:19
“... from my Father (Baal's son was the morning star). To the one who conquers(DESTROYS) I will also give the morning star(LUCIFER).” -- Revelation 2:28
· Revelation 22:16 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things in the churches.
· I am the bright and Morning Star (lucifer)
[See Lucifer here etymology of "": "[ the morning star, a fallen rebel archangel, THE Devil, fr. OE. fr. Latin, the morning star, fr. Lucifer light-bearing, fr. luc light + -fer -ferous--more at LIGHT]" (Webster's, p.677)
The Nazarenes believed their god to be that mystical rays of light between the sun & earth. That was their reality in the archaic day and age, but it was not Judaic.
Which is why they were deemed hanotzrim (offshoot=cult).