World History

But many historians agree that the weight of the (much later) documents of Paul/Saul, Mark and John (may or may not be the 'beloved disciple'), probably point to a historical figure existing around the time of the Biblical Jesus.

Whether this figure was begat by God, walked on water and performed the rest of the miracles is a topic for the religious forums. Given the times, the oral tradition, the Roman occupation - it's not outside the bounds of imagination that contemporary written evidence of the Jesus figure does not exist.

The gospels of Matthew and Luke are without doubt the latest written of the synoptic gospels that eventually were incorporated into the canon known as the New Testament. Others exists (Thomas, Mary) but did not 'make the grade' in the final compilation.

The Messianic tradition is an ancient component of Hebrew writings. It's not too much a stretch of the imagination that these traditions were applied to a populist, minor political figure of the times and the rest of the story is....well, you know.