Learning is different to both teaching and understanding.  The person who has learned something is able to demonstrate that the teaching has been understood, by taking the appropriate action.  Hebrews 5:8 says that principle also applied to Jesus, ‘Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered’. That did not mean that Jesus was ignorant of His mission to die on the cross - but that until He had done it, He had not 'learned' what He knew.

Jesus had just demonstrated, in the temple, that He knew He was the unique Son of Father God.  He understood what God's law meant, even teaching it with the use of probing questions, to open up the meaning of God’s Word to the theological professors (Luke 2:41-50).  The episode also re-taught Mary and Joseph that Jesus was not just a gifted child but the 'Son of the Most High', as the angel had prophesied (Luke 1:32), and therefore they were freshly alerted to their responsibilities as guardians of the Saviour.  So, they all went back to Nazareth to continue learning by taking the appropriate actions.

Jesus continued to obey Exodus 20:12 ‘Honour your father and your mother’.  Mary practised Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."  For Mary, the most appropriate first action, following all she had been taught, was to treasure all of God's teaching (Luke 2:19).  She did this by remembering, bringing-to-mind, meditating and praying - so that she would be ready to continue to be God's servant (Luke 1:38) ready to work with Jesus and not against Him at the critical moments.

Jesus' obedience was in taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7); not only God's servant, but also being obedient to Mary and Joseph in the home and carpentry business.  What amazing humility!  But it was not beneath His dignity.  Jesus kept on putting God's Word into practice - because that is the purpose of all God's communications.  He intends that those who hear will take action.  And Christ is our example.  Listening to many sermons may inform the mind but their objective is not achieved until we take appropriate action.  Even Word@Work has its limits if we do nothing.  So, if you know what God wants you to do, do it!  But what should we do with truth which appears to have no immediate application?  Treasure it, meditate on it and pray that the Lord will alert us when He opens His route for action.  Perhaps we should remember what Mary said when Jesus did His first miracle, ‘Do whatever He tells you.’ (John 2:5).