I've often sat and considered the process.
One set of people listened to a wonderful thinker and marvelled at his words and the life he led and his kindnesses.
They were moved by him.
Most of the profound words he spoke were difficult and mysterious to the point of being elusive to the mind.
When this man was violently arrested, tortured, accused and executed the shock and awe was devastating.
What was the reason for all this--what did he really mean to tell us?
The speculation process began.
Filling in the mystery blanks with little guesses is a natural thing to do. An educated person makes educated guesses; an ignorant person
make ignorant guesses.
The network of puzzled friends pooled their speculations using the ethos and mythos of the times as a background for further speculation.
Eventually, the man fit the background and a new myth was born.
Phase Two.
As a mere philosophical genius of great kindness began being transformed into a demi-god and religious figure--others who were disinterested 3rd parties
offered cynical rebuffs and skeptical question arose.
Apologetics was born!
Like a fisherman telling of the wonderful fish he had caught the size of the fish changed and changed and grew gigantically into a legendary size.
Mere kindnesses became, step by step, event by event...more and More and MORE wonderful.
Finally, they were nothing short of MIRACULOUS.
Phase Three
Who can work miraculous deeds but a miracle worker?
Who is a believable miracle worker of great moral character who transcends mere genius but a divine personality...perhaps even a godlike man?
This process is called accretion. One layer upon the next; each time transforming imperceptibly into "other".
Phase Four
The word of mouth transmission of wonder stories (good spiels) Gospels stimulates written version after written version.
Years pass and the written versions are taken to be first person accounts and, therefore, ironclad confirmation!
Just like an old five cent baseball card left in a closet transforms with the passage of time into a collectible worth thousands of dollars by mere rarity and appraisal by fans---so too---the deeds and words of that modest rabbi whose life was filled with profound kindness was made into god himself and the words written about him into Holy Scripture.
All a mere process.