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[Butterfly]

Is it true that we have no records from the time after Jesus’ death suggesting that Christians were even on people’s radar in a significant way ?

And that It’s not until several decades later and that the intervening decades provide more than enough time for Jesus' body to be disposed of or lost track of?

[jimwalton]

Christians were on the radar.

The creed of 1 Cor. 15.3-6 is found to be no later than 5 years after Jesus's crucifixion, and possibly within 2 years. So there was a creed about the resurrection circulating in the Christian community very early.

Luke has been deemed to be a reliable historian, and the books of Acts records that Christians were subject to persecution from the Jewish leadership almost immediately and continually until the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The incidents of Acts 4.1-22 were probably within months of Jesus's ascension. Stephen's martyrdom (Acts 7) is probably within a year of Jesus's crucifixion. Jewish persecution of Christians continues for several decades.

Roman persecution doesn't begin until the 60s, under Nero and continues to gain steam through the 1st century until it reaches a substantial level at the end of the century under Emperor Domitian.

As far as "more than enough time for Jesus' body to be disposed of or lost track of?", no. The claims of the resurrection happened first in Jerusalem starting with the day of Jesus's resurrection and until 40 days later. Peter's sermon about the resurrection happened 50 days after the resurrection right in Jerusalem. There was plenty of opportunity for the body, if the corpse was still there, to be produced as evidence that the apostles were lying. Jesus's death and burial had been public events, and the locations were known.