Who, does the Bible say, stands at the gates of heaven?

Almost any joke that talks about heaven refers to Peter. You'll hear about all sorts of popular people who stand before Saint Peter, who typically asks why he should let them in.

So does the Bible have any basis for this? Does Peter really stand at the gates of heaven? If so, does he really decide who gets in?

The idea that Peter stands at the gates of heaven comes from a passage in Matthew's gospel. Jesus was asking his disciples who people said he was. After hearing the popular views, he asked the disciples who they themselves thought he was. Peter responded, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied to Peter: кованые решетки ограды

"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." pounds till payday
-Matthew 16:17-19 (NIV)

In this passage, Jesus hands the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter. This is how the notion of Jesus standing at the gates of heaven came about. Being the key holder, he must also be the gatekeeper.

But the keys Jesus gave were not physical keys, and the holder of them does not choose who enters heaven. Instead, the keys are the power of Christ, made available to those who believe in him. They represent Christ's power to save others through us. The power of God that we can experience in prayer. Power that comes only through Jesus' name.

Salvation comes only through Jesus. The Bible tells us:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
-Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

Only Jesus can make us fit for heaven. Nothing we do, nothing we own, nothing we belong to can get us through the gates. It is very unlikely that Peter stands at the gates of heaven, and even if he does, your entrance is not his decision.