Plato observed that every life has its share of pains and
pleasures. His definition of a healthy life vs. a diseased life
was simply this: “in health the pleasures exceed the pains, but
in disease the pains exceed the pleasures.” With this in mind,
Plato set about to create laws for a republic in which every man
could live this more pleasant, healthy life. Unfortunately for
Plato, his utopia never happened. The Greek word Plato used for
“exceed” was hyperballo (hoo per BALL oh). Originally, it meant
“I throw over,” or “I throw above and beyond.” The noun form,
hyperbole (hoo per bo LAY), eventually became our English word
“hyperbole,” which now means an excessive overstatement. In the
New Testament, however, hyperballo and hyperbole were still
being used as Plato used them: to describe something that is
clearly “above and beyond” something else. For instance, Paul
said the glory of the new covenant is “above and beyond” the
glory of the old (2 Cor 3:10). That is why our light and
momentary troubles are produc