In Genesis 2–3, was the tree in the middle of the garden placed as a test, or to put Adam and Eve’s fate into their own hands?

In Genesis, God commands Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: - Genesis 2:16–17 — a command is given with the warning of death - Genesis 2:9 — the tree is described as being “in the midst of the garden” This raises a question about the purpose of both the command and the tree’s placement. On one hand, it could be understood as a test of obedience—whether Adam and Eve would follow God’s command. On the other hand, it could be seen as placing their fate into their own hands: - Obey → continue to live - Disobey → become mortal >“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God… then you shall live and multiply…”(Deuteronomy 30:15–16) >“Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.”(Jeremiah 21:8) These passages strongly support the idea that: - God sometimes presents humans with a real choice between outcomes - Life and death are tied to obedience vs disobedience How have major Christian traditions (such as the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant theology) understood this? Do they frame it primarily as a test, or as an instance where the outcome—life or death—was set before humanity based on their response? I am interested in interpretations grounded in Scripture and/or historical theology rather than personal opinions.