I mean, yeah. If you read something about gnostic non-Christian versions of Judaism existent at that time, you might notice that the whole idea of him is reminiscent of what a gnostic cult believer should be himself.

The part about being a higher entity clothed in human existence which should remember itself, drop those clothes and ascend.

Probably grew out of some story of "the guy who actually managed to do that", ha-ha, which somehow blended with a few real figures.

EDIT: Now when I think about it, makes Jedi religion in Star Wars seem even more Christian. Especially if we count various concepts (Journal of the Whills) and branches existent in the EU (Living Force, Potentium and what not).