The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

I was internet-researching a church that was mentioned in a book, and happened upon their Junior High ministry. The description included the following:

In ancient culture, Rabbis had followers called talmidins [or disciples]. These life-students were usually 15 to 20 years old [Matthew was probably in his lower 20s]. But one in particular was unusually special. This one disciple would have had a special name. They would have had special proximity to the Rabbi. There would have been a sort of fatherly relationship between the disciple and the Rabbi.

We see this with John. John called himself the disciple Jesus loved. He was one of the “inner three”– the talmidin who Jesus surrounded himself with most frequently. He had proximity. At the last supper, John leans up against Jesus’ chest to ask him questions, like a son might do with his dad.

Which leads us to the last characteristic that made this disciple different than the others.

He would have been around 10 to 12-years-old.

John, “the disciple Jesus loved,” was a 10-year-old kid.

This explains why he lived longer than the others [aside from the fact that the others were killed]. This explains why Jesus left John to Mary’s care while Jesus was dying. He wasn’t telling John to take care of Mary. He was telling Mary to take care of John.

Jesus had the nerve to tell 12-year-olds that they could be influencers of men and women.

Jesus thought emerging teens could change the world.

So must we.

Was John really 10 years old? Does anyone have any resources regarding this?