There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
We here enter on an entirely new phase of the Christian Church, the "opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles;" in other words, the recognition of Gentile, on terms of perfect equality with Jewish, discipleship, without the necessity of circumcision. Some beginnings had been already made in this direction (see the notes at Acts 11:20-21); and Saul probably acted on this principle from the first, both in Arabia-if he preached there-and in Syria and Cilicia. But had he been the prime mover in the admission of uncircumcised Gentiles into the Church, the Jewish party, who were never friendly to him, would probably have acquired such strength as to bring the Church to the verge of a disastrous schism, But it was wisely ordered that on Peter - "the apostle (specially) of the circumcision" - should be conferred the honour of initiating this great movement, as before of the first admission of Jewish believers (see the note at Matthew 16:19). After this, however, one who had already come upon the stage was to eclipse this "chiefest of the apostles."
Cornelius, by Divine Directions, Sends for Peter (10:1-8)
There was a certain man, х een (G1510) of the Received Text is wanting in all the manuscripts except one cursive, the verb being reserved to Acts 10:3 - eiden (G1492). It has come in from the versions. Accordingly the translation should be, 'A certain man ... saw,' etc.]
In Cesarea (see the note at Acts 8:40 ) called Cornelius, a centurion х hekatontarchees (G1543), the termination in -os is rather more frequent in the New Testament, though the other is more prevalent (says Winer, 8: 1) in later Greek]
Of the Italian [band] - a cohort of Italians, as distinguished from native soldiers. That such Italian cohorts served in Syria is proved by an ancient coin, of which a copy will be found in Akerman's 'Numismatic Illustrations of the New Testament;' and one of these might very naturally be stationed at Caesarea, as a body-guard to the Roman procurator who resided there.