In the Baptist's words sacrifice is the primary idea, and it is needless to discuss whether he was thinking of the paschal lamb or the lamb of morning and evening sacrifice, because he merely used the lamb as the representative of sacrifice generally.
"The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St. John, Vol. I"
Marcus Dods
The sorrow had been real, but it had all been needless.
"The Eye of Dread"
Payne Erskine
The needless weight thus carried can, in a better sledge, be replaced by fifty pounds of food.
"My Attainment of the Pole"
Frederick A. Cook