G'day Oz!
I would expect anyone becoming a Christian would dwell on what Jesus said.......wouldn't you? The accounts making up the 'gospels' were supposedly recorded and circulated verbally{long before they went into print) and would have to be the focus of discussion and contemplation amongst new converts and the congregations as oppose to what the teachings of others were. That would be a reasonable expectation. But evidence of that is absent.
So far as Paul is concerned I would expect him to learn as much as possible about the Christ having been an opposer. This would involve meeting those still alive who had first hand knowledge of him and his sayings. I expect someone like Paul would have meditated on these and used them in his letters to others. He refers to 'Christ' in his letters but not to an historical person who lived only a few years earlier.
What would you say to someone who told you of a messiah that had died for you?! When you enquired about personal details of that one - there were none. How believable would that all be? Well that was one of the problems…….hence the gospels.
ISP