Hume is arguing for the conclusion that reported miracles should be dismissed without investigation. He is not saying that all reports of miracles should be treated with suspicion or that the evidence in their favor must meet a very high standard. He is saying that any report of a miracle should be dismissed out of hand, period.
He has two arguments for this conclusion.
The argument in the first part seeks to show that even if someone’s testimony to have seen an miracle was perfect, that would not be good enough evidence to believe that a miracle actually had occurred.
The argument in the second part seeks to show that all of the reports about miracles from the past have serious flaws. Based on these observations of testimony about miracles in the past, we should infer that all future testimony about miracles will also be flawed.
The argument of part one concedes that the testimony in favor of a miracle amounts to what Hume calls a “proof.” Exactly what he means by “proof” is something that we will have to talk about; look carefully at paragraph 4.
In any event, I gather that the idea is that the testimony in question is not open to any question. It is as good as it can be. Hume argues that, nonetheless, reports about miracles are incredible because the evidence is always against them.
What does Hume mean by saying the evidence is against miracles?
It might help to start with a slightly different question: what, according to Hume, is a miracle? (see footnote 3, under paragraph 12)
In addition, is Hume simply assuming that miracles do not happen when he says that a dead man’s resurrection “has never been observed, in any age or country” (par. 12)? If so he is doing what is called “begging the question,” which is a no-no.
The Apostles said they observed the resurrection of Jesus Christ, for instance. Is he saying they are wrong? There are at least two other cases of resurrection in the Christian Bible; I will put the relevant passages in an appendix at the end of this page. The same question can be asked about them: is Hume denying what the Bible says?
In part two, Hume withdraws the assumption that testimony to have seen a miracle is ideal. Instead, he argues, we have good reason to draw an inductive inference against believing it. Roughly, our observations of testimony about miracles in the past lead to the conclusion that testimony about miracles in the future should not be trusted. All of the testimony in the past was flawed, so testimony in the future will be flawed too.
We will pay special attention to the contrast he draws at the end between two cases. He believes that human testimony could give you reason to believe that the sun did not rise. But he denies that you could ever have reason to believe that the Queen had died and been resurrected. What is the difference? See what I marked as 12, paragraphs 36-39.
Hume refers to an argument “in Dr. Tillotson’s writings” in the first paragraph. I put together a handout explaining who Tillotson was and giving what I think is the primary source for the argument Hume is referring to.
The most important case of resurrection in the Bible, is, of course, that of Jesus Christ (John 20:18-31).
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side.
Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD.
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD.
But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
But that is not the only case. Here Saul, king of the Israelites, has the witch of Endor raise his predecessor Samuel from the dead to answer a question about his fate (1 Samuel, 28:3-20). As you will see, Saul was not happy with the answer.
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.1
And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.2
Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.3
Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.4
Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
Here’s a happier tale: Jesus brings back Lazarus (John, 11:1–12:2). Note the function of the miracle is “that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” Jesus speaks aloud so that those nearby “may believe that thou hast sent me.” And it worked! Those who “had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.” In other words, miracles are used to establish Jesus’s divinity.
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus … When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. … Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. …
Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
There was a handout for this class: 11.HumeMiraclesTillotson.handout.pdf