Jam 1:24 | RWP | e4.org | He beholdeth himself ( κατενοησεν εαυτον ). Usually explained as gnomic aorist like those in , 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).

‏ James 1:24

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).