Here is recommended road map to where I am at if you are interested.
Doherty, “Jesus: neither god nor man”
Demonstrates the mythical Jesus in detail (800+ pages of detail). Please note that there is a huge difference between the Gospel Jesus (mythical, esoteric) and Paul’s inner Jesus in his epistles. Therefore, do not erroneously assume Doherty is making the case for no Jesus at all. He only makes the case for the Gospel Jesus being esoteric or mythical. Doherty is 95% right in his conclusions. It doesn’t explain what the esoteric meaning of the Gospels is.
Dykstra, “Mark: the Canonizer of Paul”
Posits the Gospel Jesus associated with Paul himself (iow Gospel Jesus= First century Inner Jesus of Paul) because many things attributed to Gospel Jesus were first written by inner Jesus of Paul (Gospels were written after Paul, therefore Gospels borrowed from Paul’s letters). Dykstra is right.
Nag Hammadi
Provides context for meaning of Paul’s original ideas (eg the Sophia mythology) which have been corrupted by orthodoxy (translators have a lot of power to make the text say what they want it to say. They choose from a multitude of possible words with different nuanced meanings) in order to make Paul appear to be writing about the alleged historical Gospel Jesus rather than the inner Jesus of the saints.
Dead Sea Scrolls
The original founder of Jewish-Christianity was the Teacher of Righteousness (TOR) around 100 BC who established ”The Way”, baptism, Lord’s Supper with wine and bread. When Paul refers to the Initiation of the Lord’s Supper he is likely referring to the inner Jesus of the TOR around 100 BC. documented in the Dead Sea Scrolls, —therefore proving beyond any doubt that formal christianity did not begin supernaturally in the first century C.E. This is huge, this is a paradigm shift! Every christian schoolhouse on the planet should be ringing the bell for a five-alarm fire, but instead are asleep dreaming of superstitions and myths under the cozy, warm blankets —while their house is on fire!
GRS Mead, Thrice Greatest Hermes
Egyptian/Greek Conception of cosmic son of God paralleling Paul’s epistles and Dead Sea Scrolls suggesting the common idea circulating among religious consciousness when christianity was developing. More context for cosmic christ.
That should keep you busy for a while. Welcome to the family! The family of Wisdom seekers.