Previously in the 8th Sunday gospel, Jesus admonishes his disciples to not be blind to their own faults and failing before they are too enthusiastic about pointing out the faults and failings of others. What follows is practical advice about discernment since the intentions and heart of a person are harder to discern:

⁴³ “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. ⁴⁵ A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.