Argumentum ad Verencundiam

Acts 13:50 (KJV)
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Such is the extent of deceivers who will stop at nothing to protect their interests. Unfortunately, many are taken in this manner and this happens in virtually every field of learning/knowledge.

Kyle Butt wrote of the term "argumentum ad verencundiam" (appeal to authority).
"This faulty line of reasoning suggests that a certain idea or proposition should be accepted because all the “authorities” accept it. And, while it is true that legitimate authorities can be trusted to supply real evidence, it is not true that a person should accept a conclusion solely because “an authority” says that such is the case, without that authority giving proper evidence for the conclusion (Geisler and Brooks, pp. 98-99)." (full article here http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=1249)

These were" devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city", not some corrupt, bribed, base fellows (although such were also employed! Acts 17:5). And yet they too can be misled by scheming people.
We need to be very careful of such possibilities. How often have we heard comments like "oh but so and so is so kind and faithful" or "so and so holds a ThD, surely he knows more than you do" or "so and so is held in such high regard, surely he cannot be wrong"
The fact remains, whatever the source, whatever the person, the benchmark is always against the Word. Even from the apostles (Act 17:11), even from angels! (Gal 1:8)
No amount of sincerity, piety, or scholarship can take the place of the truth in God's Word.
Let no man intimidate us into following what is deviant from the Word.