Matthew 9

Matthew 9:2-3 NIV

[2] Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” [3] At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

In this passage, Jesus is forgiving the mans sins which is something only god can do. The religious leaders claim that Jesus is blaspheming which means that he is claiming to be god. 

Matthew 9:5-6 NIV

[5] Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? [6] But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”

Jesus calls himself “the Son of Man” which is a reference to Daniel and refers to the messiah. Jesus is also saying that he has the authority to forgive sins which is something only god can do so he is claiming to be god. I have heard people say that Jesus never claimed to be god but in these passages he is clearly doing so. 

Matthew 9:15 NIV

[15] Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Jesus often prophecies about his death but no one seemed to catch on as to what was going to happen. 

Matthew 9:16-17 NIV

[16] “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. [17] Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

These passages confused me for a long time but I learned that they are referring to Jesus new teaching and how people that cling to the old teaching will not understand. It is human nature not to like change and radical change is even more frightening.  What changes am I afraid to make for Jesus?