One week later a messenger arrived at the court of King Herod, in Tiberias, a city not far from Capernaum on the Lake of Galilee. He carried reports from local officials throughout the provinces that Herod ruled. As he read them, the king became more and more alarmed. Finally he turned to a slave. "Tell my officers to come immediately!" When the high officials of the court arrived, Herod waved the papers and said, "Every single governor reports that there are Jews going through our cities and towns talking about some new kingdom!" He looked at them sharply. "Do you know anything about this?" After a moment one of them answered, "There is a carpenter from Nazareth preaching something like that." "Do you think he has anything to do with this business?" "I am not sure," answered the man. "I know a Pharisee in Capernaum who says this fellow wants to do away with the Jewish religion." The man speaking was one of the Herodians whom Symeon had stirred up against Jesus. "What sort of man is he?" demanded Herod. "He has great influence with the people," he said. "This Pharisee admits that his miracles are not tricks." "Miracles!" Herod became very sober. "Who is this man?" he demanded. "Has John the Baptizer risen from the dead?" Against his better judgment he had executed the Prophet a few weeks before. "That is not possible," answered an officer. "We shall have a revolution on our hands if this really is John." Herod turned to the officer who had spoken last. "Who is he, if he isn't John?" "People say different things. Some say he is Elijah; others say someone else, but they all think he is a prophet." "That is exactly what they said about John the Baptizer," exclaimed Herod. "John never sent out missionaries!" objected the Herodian. "That only makes it worse!" The king pointed to the reports in front of him. "What if these Jews are working for him?" "They might be," admitted the man. If Herod could have heard the conversation of Simon and Andrew at that moment, he would have been even more anxious. They were in high spirits as they walked the last mile of their trip back to Capernaum. "How glad everyone has been to hear about the Kingdom!" remarked Simon. "Do you not think that these people are ready to make the Master their king?" "They are very discontented," agreed Andrew. "Herod has crushed them so that they are ready to do about anything." For a distance they walked in silence. Finally Simon said: "I cannot understand what it is about the Master. Even evil spirits seem to fear him!" "Do you suppose this trip has made the others feel the way we do?" wondered Andrew. When Simon and Andrew arrived in Capernaum, they found that James, John, and the Zealot had returned ahead of them. They were telling Jesus about their experiences. "The evil spirits themselves obeyed us in your name!" exclaimed John.