Actually, crucifixion was generally reserved for rebels, the "thief" who died on the cross next to him was probably a brigand. Some of the epistles, especially those of Paul, are generally held to predate the Gospels, and establish a picture of the Apostles, a growing community, and significant controversies, for example, between "Judaizers", who would make all converts observe the Torah, and Paul. Further, the main elements of Christian belief are already fully articulated in the Pauline Epistles, although it is true that controversies such as the meaning of the term "Son of God" were not explicitly addressed or resolved....
One of the reasons that three of the Gospels are referred to as synoptic, and traced to a common source (i.e., Matthew and Luke to Mark, or all three to a "proto- Mark") is because they are so similar, although there are discrepancies of detail. The Gospel of John is generally thought to be more theologically driven, and the discrepancies are sharper. However, none of them makes John incompatible with the others, and at best it an argument against those who believe in literal inerrancy.......
The Gospels do not appeal to "different Mediterranean cultures", but mainly to Hellenistic Jews and Greek speaking "God- fearers", gentiles who were interested in Judaism, read the Septuagint version of the Bible, but did not convert. Only those people would have been impressed by the continual reference to the fulfillment of the prophets.....
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