To reconstruct 2nd century cultural literature context of Roman satire in Early Christian texts, it is useful to form a hypothesis of the early evolution of the Jesus character.
This hypothesis is based on data-oriented scientific research performed by Mark G. Bilby (for an introduction, see this video), combined with things I believe Bilby was missing in the historical context.
Bilby believes that Pliny the Younger started killing Christians, but the way I read the letter to Trajan is that Pliny releases the Christians after making them perform a symbolic ritual of worship to Trajan. Also, Bilby seems to miss that the ritual reported by Pliny might have been modeled on rituals performed by mystery cults of neo-Platonism or Pythagoreanism.
Bilby argues that Platonic influence is mid to late 2nd century, but this is from analysis on texts that I believe were used as advertisements for mystery cults, not the actual texts taught to initiated.
The evidence of Socratic influence in Early Mark suggests to me that Platonic influence could have been in early 2nd century, but this was not brought forth until Christian sects debated theology among themselves.
It is more proper to think about the texts as changing many times, adding new layers, instead of being written down in a particular year. This is why I will use periods related to the source instead of years. It is also important to notice that there is no clear boundary when one period starts and when another begins. The periods are just used to label different periods of Early Christianity.
- Q: A Judean or Galilean Aesop character
- Early Mark: Simon Magus plus Socratic influnce and advertisment for Logos
- Late Mark: Historic realism by adding John the Baptist
- Canonical Mark: Resurrection of Jesus
Period: 0 - 80 AD
The Q source is a hypothesized text used by scholars to explain the synoptic problem.
1.1. Q pre-dates Mark
1.2. Jesus was annointed by a Mary of Magdala, not John the Baptist
1.3. Cynic philosophy
1.4. Jesus preaches against the rich
1.5. Dies a slave's death: Crucifixion
Period: 80 - 120 AD
A mystery cult is established around Jesus as a savior figure, modeled upon a system developed by Simonians using Simon Magus as a savior figure.
The Early Mark is used as advertisement and forms one half of a doctrine, where the second half is a secret mystery taught to initiated that Jesus is Logos, an idea taken from texts from Sibylline orcales.
In advertisement, Jesus is like Socrates, but in the secret mystery he is lifted to the Platonic realm.
In the text used as advertisement, Jesus hints at being Messiah, but never says so directly himself. This is a literary device used to make people curious about Jesus. Jesus was never Messiah, but Logos, that transcends historical realism. This opens up for the later interpretation of Messiah in Christianity as an avatar of Logos. Despite Jesus not being intended as a Messiah figure, he became over time associated with Messiah, by starting to regard Messiah as the son of Yahweh (the angel Lucifer, the morning star).
The Early Mark text loops the end back to the beginning, but this is only taught to initiated to blow their mind.
2.1. Jesus perform miracles, like Simon Magus
2.2. Superpowers were used as advertisement for a mystery cult
2.3. Secret mystery taught to initiated relates Jesus to Logos
2.4. Secrete Messiah is a distraction used to get people interested in Jesus
2.5. Logos transcends historical realism by relating the end to the beginning
2.6. Crucifixion of Jesus explains why Yahweh is no longer worshiped by temple sacrifices
2.7. Cynic philosophy is reduced a little and more a Socratic philosophy is addded
Period: 120 - 160 AD
The 12 disciples were not part of the original Jesus myth, but there might be two of them that were included: Peter (possibly renamed from Simon) and Judas.
3.1. Mary of Magdala as annointing Jesus is replaced by John the Baptist
3.2. Christians are accused by authorities of making up a fictional savior figure
3.3. Establishing historical realism becomes a priority for Early Christians
3.4. The 12 disciples are established as characters
3.5. Lucifer is seen in opposition to Logos
3.6. Lucifer becomes considered the devil character due to competing sects
Period: 160 - 325 AD
The original Mark ends when the women find the tomb empty. Resurrection of Jesus was added later before Mark became canonical.
One reason is that under influence of Marcionism, the Pauline Christology made resurrection of Jesus significant for theology. Thus, a new ending was added to reflect the new theology.
4.1. Added resurrection of Jesus
4.2. Further development of Lucifer as Satan and the devil