Mystery: Was John the Apostle a child

John, the favored Apostle of Jesus and the eventual author of the fourth Gospel, is widely viewed as having been an adult like Peter and Jesus Himself.

But was John actually a child during Jesus's ministry? Subtle indications include:

• John ran like a child to the empty tomb, and then waited as a child might do in deference to adult supervision
• John was not identified and interrogated, as Peter was, during the Passion
• John believed more quickly than Peter, as age and experience can be detriments to accepting new ideas
• Jesus "loved" John much as a teacher can have a platonic love for a special student
• John once rested his head on Jesus's breast, much as a boy would do with a guardian
• John lived a very long time after Jesus and longer than most other Apostles
• John understood Jesus's teachings better than anyone else, perhaps again aided by his young age and lack of conflicting, incorrect views
• Jesus assigned John to take care of Jesus's mother, Mary, a duty more appropriately given to a boy than to a grown man.
• John was typically accompanied by his brother James, just as childhood brothers would be and not as adult brothers typically act.
• John's mother asked that he and her other son James be placed at Jesus's side in heaven, which is a request a mother would more likely make about children than adults.