A.T. Robertson Commentary James 1:24

"for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." — James 1:24 (ASV)

He beholdeth himself (κατενοησεν εαυτον). Usually explained as gnomic aorist like those in 1:11, but the ordinary force of the tenses is best here. "He glanced at himself (κατενοησεν aorist) and off he has gone (απεληλυθεν perfect active) and straightway forgot (επελαθετο, second aorist middle indicative of επιλανθανομα) what sort of a man he was" (οποιος ην, back in the picture, imperfect tense). The tenses thus present a vivid and lifelike picture of the careless listener to preaching (Christ's wayside hearer).