Galēnē (γαλήνη) refers to a calm or stillness — specifically the tranquil state of water after a storm, the opposite of the turbulent sea. In the Synoptic Gospels it appears exclusively in the accounts of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee, describing the great calm that followed His rebuke of the wind and waves.
The miraculous galēnē — the instant, perfect calm after Christ's word — reveals His divine authority over creation. Only God can command the elements (Psalm 107:29). The disciples' stunned response — "Who then is this?" (Mark 4:41) — is the question the miracle is designed to answer. The storm and the calm together become a parable: the world is turbulent, but Christ's word brings peace to even the most violent circumstances.