Yesterday I picked up The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey and started reading where I left off quite a few months ago.
Yancey was extrapolating on the Psalms and then on Proverbs. It was interesting, but something kept nagging at me. There was an uneasiness I felt as I read it.
I love reading books by Philip Yancey. The first I read was Disappointment with God, and I thought he nailed that one. It was such a good book, so I have tremendous respect for him as I have read other of his books.
I didn’t disagree with him. It wasn’t that at all. I kept reading and suddenly it burst upon me what I was feeling.
“Was the Bible written for women to read?”
Women read the Bible, and women love Bible studies by Beth Moore, and others. Women quote Scripture. Women live by faith, and find comfort in the words of the Bible.
But was the Bible written for women to read?
bWe Baptist Women for Equality's Blog 
Short answer: The Old Testament was not written with women in mind as part of the audience, but the New Testament definitely was.
The Old Covenant was based on the flesh – being born into a certain nation, with privileges based on birth as a priest, a Levite, or a man.
The New Covenant is based on the Spirit and all such fleshly distinctions are removed. If you look closely at the Gospels, you’ll see how balanced Jesus’ ministry is to both men and women. Every time he tells a group of parables, a parable with a male protagonist or focusing on chores traditionally done by men, is balanced by a parable with a female protagonist or a chore traditionally done by women.
When Paul wrote to the church, he nearly always called them “adelphoi,” which is the gender-neutral address to brothers and sisters. One of the fundamental ideas of Christianity is that the fleshly family unit is superceded by our new spiritual family in Christ. Jesus said His “mother and brothers and sisters” were those who did His Father’s will. God is our only patriarch.
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PS. Even in the Old Covenant we see God breaking into their patriarchy by choosing women like Deborah, or using Abigail to counteract David’s revenge-lust.
And then there’s the book of Ruth, which counters race, class and gender prejudices and shows the true heart of God for covenant community based on love as the spirit of the law.
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