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Here I provide a meat-filled quotation from John Chrysostom on the topic of Matthew 24:20. He shows that this is not commanding the Disciples to keep Sabbath as some Judaizing sects claim–rather it is directed to the Jews that have rebelled and rejected Christ. Chrysostom also suggests that the law about traveling on the Sabbath was specific to Rabbinic Judaism–not Christianity.

“Then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains. And let him that is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house. Neither let him which is in his field return back to take his clothes.”²⁷⁷⁷

Having spoken of the ills that were to overtake the city, and of the trials of the apostles, and that they should remain unsubdued, and should overrun the whole world, HE MENTIONS AGAIN THE JEWS’ CALAMITIES, showing that when the one should be glorious, having taught the whole world, the others should be in calamity.

And see how He relates the war, by the things that seem to be small setting forth how intolerable it was to be. For, “Then,” saith He, “LET THEM WHICH BE IN JUDAEA FLEE INTO THE MOUNTAINS.” Then, When? When these things should be, “when the abomination of desolation should stand in the holy place.” Whence he seems to me to be speaking of the armies. Flee therefore then, saith He, for thenceforth there is no hope of safety for you.

For since it had fallen out, that they often had recovered themselves in grievous wars, as under Sennacherib, under Antiochus again (for when at that time also, armies had come in upon them, and the temple had been seized beforehand, the Maccabees rallying gave their affairs an opposite turn); in order then that they might not now also suspect this, that there would be any such change, He forbids them all thought of the kind. For it were well, saith He, to escape henceforth with one’s naked body. Therefore them also that are on the housetop, He suffers not to enter into the house to take their clothes, indicating the evils to be inevitable, and the calamity without end, and that it must needs be that he that was involved therein should surely perish. Therefore He adds also, him that is in the field, saying, neither let this man turn back to take his clothes. For if they that are in doors flee, much more they that are out of doors ought not to take refuge within.439

“Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck,”²⁷⁷⁸to the one because of their greater inertness, and BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FLEE EASILY, being weighed down by the burden of their pregnancy; to the other, because they are held by the tie of feeling for their children, and cannot save their sucklings. For money it is a light thing to despise, and an easy thing to provide, and clothes; but the bonds of nature how could any one escape? how could the pregnant woman become active? how could she that gives suck be able to overlook that which she had borne?

Then, to show again the greatness of the calamity, He saith, “PRAY YE THAT YOUR FLIGHT BE NOT IN THE WINTER, NEITHER ON THE SABBATH DAY“. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be.”²⁷⁷⁹

Seest thou that HIS DISCOURSE IS ADDRESSED TO THE JEWS, and that He is speaking of the ills that should overtake THEM? FOR THE APOSTLES SURLEY WERE NOT TO KEEP THE SABBATH DAY neither to be there, when Vespasian did those things. For indeed the most part of them were already departed this life. And if any was left, he was dwelling then in other parts of the world.

But wherefore neither “in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day?”²⁷⁸⁰ Not in the winter, because of the difficulty arising from the season; not on the Sabbath day, BECAUSE OF THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY EXERCISED BY THE LAW For since they had need of flight, and of the swiftest flight, but NEITHER WOULD THE JEWS DARE TO FLEE ON THE SABBATH DAY, because of the law, neither in winter was such a thing easy; therefore, “Pray ye,” saith He; “for then shall be tribulation, such as never was, neither shall be.”

And let not any man suppose this to have been spoken hyperbolically; but let him study the writings of Josephus, and learn the truth of the sayings. For neither can any one say, that the man being a believer, in order to establish Christ’s words, hath exaggerated the tragical history. For indeed He was both a Jew, and a determined Jew, and very zealous, and among them that lived after Christ’s coming.

What then saith this man? That those terrors surpassed all tragedy, and that no such had ever overtaken the nation. For so great was the famine, that the very mothers fought about the devouring of their children, and that there were wars about this; and he saith that many when they were dead had their bellies ripped up.

I should therefore be glad to inquire of the Jews. Whence came there thus upon them wrath from God intolerable, and more sore than all that had befallen aforetime, not in Judæa only, but in any part of the world? Is it not quite clear, that it was for the deed of the cross, and for this rejection? All would say it, and with all and before all the truth of the facts itself.

But mark, I pray thee, the exceeding greatness of the ills, when not only compared with the time before, they appear more grievous, but also with all the time to come. For not in all the world, neither in all time that is past, and that is to come, shall any one be able to say such ills have been. And very naturally; for neither had any man perpetrated, not of those that ever have been, nor of those to come hereafter, a deed so wicked and horrible. Therefore He saith, “there shall be tribulation such as never was, nor shall be.”

“Philip Schaff: NPNF1-10. St. Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew – Christian Classics Ethereal Library,” n.d. https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.LXXIII.html.