E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) — Bible Study

Opening/Discovery in the backyard shed

Children (led by Elliott) discover an apparently stranded alien hiding in Elliott’s family’s shed. They bring him into the house, feed him, and hide him from adults while learning that he is intelligent and able to communicate emotionally with Elliott.

Fact: The family hides and cares for a vulnerable, unknown being in their home. Interpretation: This moment invites reflection on hospitality and care for the stranger. From an evangelical perspective, hospitality is a practical expression of love and may echo Hebrews 13:2’s exhortation to welcome strangers (which the study treats as a model for grace-filled, protective care toward the vulnerable). It also raises questions about stewardship, responsibility, and when to seek help from authorities.

Elliott and E.T.’s bonding and the healing scene

Elliott and E.T. form a deep emotional and even physical connection (for example, E.T. touches Elliott and other characters experience healing or calmness). E.T. and Elliott share moments of tenderness and affection; E.T. can sense Elliott’s feelings.

Fact: The film shows an intimate, sympathetic connection between Elliott and E.T. Interpretation: For evangelical viewers this models sacrificial, empathetic friendship and the good created by God when people reflect care for one another. It can prompt discussion about how Christians are called to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) and to show Christ-like compassion without conflating an alien being with the saving work of Christ.

Halloween and the bicycle flight (including the iconic moon silhouette)

Elliott and his friends take E.T. out disguised during Halloween. Later the famous sequence occurs where Elliott’s bicycle, with E.T. riding in the basket, lifts and flies across the moonlit sky as authorities pursue them.

Fact: The scene is cinematic wonder and childlike imagination made literal. Interpretation: Families can discuss wonder as a God-given response—awe before creation—and how imagination can point people toward worship. Evangelical leaders may also note the film’s use of childlike openness as the avenue of trust and faith, echoing Jesus’ teaching about receiving the kingdom like children (e.g., Matthew 18). Emphasize that wonder leads to praise but is not a substitute for the gospel.

E.T. falls ill, is taken by scientists, and appears to ‘die’ in custody

After prolonged exposure to human environments and separation from Elliott, E.T. weakens and is isolated by authorities for study. He appears to die, which is an emotionally intense moment; later Elliott’s love and connection help restore him.

Fact: There is a medically framed scene of decline and an emotionally charged restoration. Interpretation: This sequence prompts discussion about suffering, the limits of human knowledge, and the power of relationship. An evangelical interpretation can acknowledge the resonance with sacrificial motifs (love that risks loss) while cautioning against literalizing symbolic parallels with Christ’s atoning death and resurrection. Theologically, it invites conversation about how Christians respond to suffering—through prayer, compassionate action, and pointing people to Christ as ultimate hope.

E.T. phones home and the final farewell/return

E.T. builds a device to communicate with his ship and, after recovery and a heartfelt farewell to Elliott and the children, returns to his home. The film closes with a bittersweet parting.

Fact: The end emphasizes separation, homecoming, and grief mixed with joy. Interpretation: Themes of ‘home’ and longing can be connected to evangelical understandings of our ultimate ‘home’ in God (the believer’s final hope) without equating E.T. with Christ. The farewell models sacrificial love and the pain of parting that faith addresses by offering hope in God’s long-term restoration of all things.

John 15:13

No one has greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

This verse highlights the sacrificial love modeled in Elliott’s devotion to E.T.; for evangelicals, it also points beyond the film to the supreme, saving sacrifice of Jesus. Use it to talk about love’s cost and how Christians are called to serve others sacrificially.

Hebrews 13:2

Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.

Elliott’s family hides and feeds E.T.; Hebrews 13:2 invites discussion about practical hospitality toward strangers and the spiritual significance of caring for the vulnerable, a fit for families discerning how to act compassionately today.

Luke 15:4-6

“What man among you who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’”

The lost-and-found motif resonates with E.T. as a ‘lost’ outsider who is sought, sheltered, and finally returned home. For evangelicals, the parable underscores God’s heart for the lost and the joy of restoration—an appropriate lens for discussing the film’s ‘bringing home’ theme while saying the gospel brings the ultimate rescue.

What first surprised you about how Elliott and his family reacted to finding E.T.?

Invite simple, concrete answers (curiosity, fear, protection). For families, encourage kids to describe feelings. Emphasize hospitality and protective instincts; ask how faith informs those instincts—do we act out of fear or love?

Where do you see ‘sacrifice’ or costly love in the film? Which moments moved you and why?

Point to scenes like hiding E.T., Elliott’s risking exposure, and the children’s loyalty. For evangelicals, note the distinction between human sacrificial acts (good and meaningful) and the unique, saving sacrifice of Christ—use this to open a short bridge to the gospel.

How does the film portray adults (scientists, authorities, parents) versus children? What does that say about trust and openness?

Many viewers note adults as institutional and children as open-hearted. Discuss healthy trust in adults (parents, caregivers) and necessary caution; invite conversation about the gospel’s call to humility and childlike receptivity (Matthew 18), not naive gullibility.

E.T. longs to ‘phone home’ and go back. What does ‘home’ mean in this film, and how does that image speak to you as a Christian?

Let responses range from physical home, belonging, to spiritual longings. Gently point listeners to the evangelical hope of ultimate ‘home’ with God while honoring the film’s portrayal of earthly loss and longing.

If a friend asked whether E.T. is ‘like Jesus,’ how would you respond?

Encourage careful language: acknowledge Christ-like qualities (gentleness, healing, sacrificial love) without saying E.T. is a Christ figure in the salvific sense. Remind group that evangelicals distinguish between moral/poetic parallels and the unique gospel claim that Jesus’ death/rebirth secures salvation.

Who in your neighborhood or circle is ‘vulnerable’ and might need simple hospitality or protection this week?

Offer practical examples families can do: provide a meal, invite a new neighbor over, help a single parent with childcare briefly. Encourage small, doable steps and a follow-up check-in at the next meeting.

What is one small way your family can model sacrificial love for another family or child in the next month?

Prompt concrete commitments—rake leaves, help with groceries, host a playdate, or write a note of encouragement. For kids, suggest making a card or small handmade gift. Remind groups to frame acts of service as pointing to Christ’s love, not as a way to ‘earn’ favour.

11:02–11:20

Backyard discovery — 'It's in the tool shed'

Hospitality to the stranger / protection of the vulnerable

Hebrews 13:2

Elliott and the children recognize and shelter an unknown, vulnerable being rather than immediately turning it over to authorities. This moment prompts reflection on practical, grace-filled hospitality—welcoming and protecting the stranger while weighing responsibility and wisdom.

When you see someone vulnerable or ‘out of place’ in your neighborhood, what practical steps would show hospitality while keeping people safe? How does Hebrews 13:2 shape those steps?

1:24:09–1:24:25

Hospital bedside — the 'Stay' / 'Together' moment

Bearing one another’s burdens; sacrificial empathy

Galatians 6:2

When Elliott stays at E.T.’s side and pleads for him to 'stay,' the film models costly, present empathy: refusing to abandon one who is suffering. For Christians this illustrates bearing each other’s burdens while remembering that such human love points beyond itself to the unique saving work of Christ.

How does Elliott’s insistence 'I'll be right here' help you understand Galatians 6:2 in concrete terms? What are the limits of human compassion, and where does the gospel fit in?

1:37:03–1:42:36

Halloween and the bicycle flight (the moon silhouette)

Childlike wonder, trust, and praise

Matthew 18:3-4

The Halloween outing and the subsequent flying sequence evoke wonder and imaginative joy—a childlike openness that the gospel commends as posture for receiving the kingdom. The scene invites families to consider how awe and play can draw hearts toward worship while still distinguishing cinematic wonder from doctrinal truth.

In what ways can childlike wonder lead people toward God? Where should we be careful to distinguish spiritual truth from simply being moved by a beautiful image?

1:19:48–1:29:04

Capture, clinical study, and the creature’s decline (hospitalization begins through acute crisis)

Suffering, the limits of human knowledge, and costly love

John 15:13

The clinical, institutional response to E.T.—and the creature’s worsening condition—raises questions about how science and power respond to vulnerability. Elliott’s anguished protest and the risks taken by the children model sacrificial love (John 15:13) while the group is reminded to avoid conflating cinematic rescue with the unique atoning work of Christ.

How should Christians engage with medical or institutional authority when someone vulnerable is at risk? How does John 15:13 call us to act without confusing human rescue with the gospel?

1:45:13–1:46:27

Farewell and homecoming — E.T. says goodbye and departs

Longing for home; loss mixed with hope

Luke 15:4-6

The final farewell highlights longing, grief, and the joy of restoration. The 'return home' motif resonates with the parable of the lost sheep: there is sorrow at parting, but also hope and celebration when what is lost is restored. For evangelicals, the scene can open a conversation about earthly goodbyes and the deeper, ultimate home we have in God.

What does 'home' mean to you after watching this farewell? How can Luke 15’s picture of seeking and rejoicing help a family talk about loss and the Christian hope of ultimate restoration?