Reply #49: Yes, this has been extensively studied IMO

[Time for change]

Some time ago I read a book called "The Historical Jesus", or something like that. That book explored in detail all of the major actions and statements attributed to Jesus and classified them all, according to explicit criteria, on a scale, ranging from highly doubtful to highly credible. I can't find that reference now, and I don't remember the major conclusions.

But I did find a book called "Ceasar and Christ" by Will Durant. He discusses the existence of Jesus starting on page 553, with the sentence "Did Christ exist?". Here is a brief summary of his conclusions:

In summary, it is clear that there are many contradictions between one gospel and another, many dubious statements of history .....

All this granted, much remains. The contradictions are of miutiae, not substance; in essentials the synoptic gospels agree remarkably well, and form a consistent portrait of Christ. In the enthusiasm of its discoveries the Higher Criticism has applied to the New Testament tests of authenticity so severe that by them a hundred ancient worthies -- e.g., Hammurabi, David, Socrates -- would fade into legend. Despite the prejudices and theological preconceptions of the evangelists, they record many incidents that mere inventors would have concealed -- the competition of the apostles for high places in the Kingdom, their flight after Jesus' arrest, Peter's denial, the failure of Christ to work miracles in Galilee..... no one reading these scenes can doubt the reality of the figure behind them.... After two centuries of Higher Criticism the outlines of the life, character, and teaching of Christ, remain reasonably clear, and constitute the most fascinating feature in the history of Western man.