Charles Spurgeon Commentary Genesis 2:16-17

"And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." — Genesis 2:16-17 (ASV)

Apparently, Adam was not forbidden to eat of the fruit of the tree of life. However, after his failure, he was cast out of Eden, as God said, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever. He could freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden except one: of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. It was a slight prohibition, yet the test was more than man, even in a state of innocence, could endure, and, alas! his failure involved all his descendants, for he was the federal head of the human race, and by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men.

Happily, there is another federal Head, and therefore we read, For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.